A feral kitten in Omaha, Nebraska, tested positive for rabies in November 2023. It died of the raccoon variant of the virus, which is typically found only in the Appalachian Mountains. Detecting this variant hundreds of miles away in the Midwest raised concerns about a potential outbreak and launched a public health task force to vaccinate all raccoons in the area.
While the case was likely contained, a better understanding of how rabies is transmitted can help prevent future outbreaks. Researchers Rodney Rohde and Charles Rupprecht explain how rabies vaccination works and how to protect yourself from infection.
What causes rabies?
Rabies is an ancient viral disease that has been around for thousands of years. Considered a neglected tropical disease, rabies typically occurs in poorer communities without the infrastructure for adequate surveillance, prevention, and control.
Rabies is unpredictable. Stages of infection include an incubation period that ranges from days to months, early flu-like symptoms, a period of severe neurological effects, coma, and then death. Common early-stage symptoms in people, such as fatigue, fever, and nausea, are often nonspecific. Neurological symptoms can involve aggression, confusion, difficulty swallowing, and paralysis.
