The death of a Kentucky man from rabies has state health officials issuing a reminder to residents.
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services says the individual that died was a Northern Kentucky resident who received treatment in Kentucky and Ohio. The source of the individual’s exposure to rabies is unknown at this time and may have occurred during international travel outside the United States.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Northern Kentucky Health Department, and the Ohio Department of Health on the case investigation. It’s the first confirmed case of rabies for a Kentucky resident since 1996.
The KDPH says rabies is rare due to the routine vaccination of animals and other wildlife control efforts, but when left untreated the disease is usually fatal. Immediate medical care after a suspected exposure to rabies, however, is nearly 100 percent effective at preventing infection.
Rabies is typically spread through bites and scratches from an infected animal or from infected saliva or mucus entering the eyes, nose, mouth, or an open wound. The most common carriers of rabies in Kentucky are bats and skunks, but any mammal can be infected.
Health officials say keep animals up to date on their vaccinations, avoid contact with wild animals, and talk to a healthcare provider immediately if bitten or scratched by a wild animal.