Rabies Death Confirmed in Central California

The Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH) recently announced it is providing a media briefing on the rabies death involving a county resident who was suspected to have been bitten by a bat in Merced County, located east of San Jose.

The FCDPH stated in a media release that on November 26, 2024, the Merced County Department of Public Health notified individuals who may have been exposed and prepared medical providers in the community on response measures.

In September 2024, a Brantford-Brant, Ontario, resident was also confirmed with bat-bite transmitted rabies.

In the United States, bites from infected bats, not dogs, cause most rabies infections.

Rabies is a viral infection that causes brain and spinal cord inflammation. It is typically spread to humans through direct contact with saliva or mucous of an infected animal, such as through a bite or scratch.

According to the U.S. CDC, rabies vaccines have proven nearly 100% effective at preventing the disease after exposure. However, the vaccine must be started before rabies symptoms appear. Left untreated, rabies is almost always fatal.

Bavarian Nordic's RabAvert® vaccine is offered in the U.S.