Management of Suspected Rabies Exposure in the Emergency Department

Points & Pearls Excerpt

• Worldwide, more than 95% of cases of rabies occur in Africa and Asia, with 35% in India alone. 99% of cases are from dog bites.
• The canine virus strain of rabies was eradicated in the U.S. in 2004, though rarely, dogs can acquire other strains from contact with wildlife.
• In the U.S., rabies is endemic in wild mammals, including foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, and bats. Small rodents are rarely infected.
• In the U.S. from 1960 to 2018, 70% of cases of rabies were attributed to bats.