Big Sky Times

State and local public health officials are reminding Montanans to be aware of rabies exposure risks as summer approaches. The potential for encounters between humans and wild animals increases during spring and summer months as Montanans spend more time engaging in outdoor activities. Rabies is a fatal but preventable disease. The rabies virus is carried in the saliva of infected warm-blooded mammals and is usually transmitted to people and other animals through a bite. Post-exposure prophylaxis, a series of injections administered after exposure, has a 100% success rate in preventing rabies infection.

“Rabies can be prevented by avoiding physical contact with bats and stray or wild animals, and consulting public health about seeking post-exposure prophylaxis if you think you may have been exposed,” said Jessica Lopeman, a registered nurse and epidemiologist with the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

The use of post-exposure prophylaxis has significantly reduced the human rabies death rate since the turn of the century. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), human rabies deaths in the United States are rare, averaging approximately one to two deaths per year since the 1990s. The last human death in Montana attributed to rabies occurred in 1997.

According to preliminary data, post-exposure prophylaxis was recommended or administered to 238 Montana residents in 2023.

On April 24, 2024, DPHHS received the first report of a rabid animal this year when a cow in Powder River County tested positive for rabies. This cow was likely infected through interaction with a rabid skunk or bat. It is uncommon for livestock to test positive for rabies; however, a Montana horse tested positive for rabies in 2021.

Human and animal exposures to bats and skunks are considered high risk for rabies transmission. In 2023, 25 animals submitted for testing to the Montana Department of Livestock (DOL) tested positive for rabies, including 23 bats and two skunks. While not completely without risk, bites from domestic animals that are owned and vaccinated present lower risk exposures.

“Rabies is not spread through indirect contact from objects that potentially rabid animals have come into contact with, such as animal food bowls after a skunk has eaten dog food,” Lopeman said. “The most common rabies exposure scenarios include sleeping with bats in the room or approaching wild or domestic animals to attempt to pet or handle them.”

If someone is bitten by a domestic dog, cat, or ferret, the animal can be observed for signs of rabies almost always avoiding the need for post-exposure prophylaxis shots. If an animal cannot be located, observed, or tested, individuals may be advised to undergo post-exposure prophylaxis.

All exposures to an animal capable of transmitting rabies should be assessed by local health departments for risk assessment and possible recommendation for post-exposure prophylaxis.

DPHHS reminds everyone to follow these tips to reduce the risk of rabies exposure:

- Do not feed or handle wild animals.

- Teach children never to touch wild animals or handle bats.

- Avoid animal bites from domestic or feral animals.

- Vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies.

- Bat-proof your house.

- Watch for abnormal animal behavior.

“Any bat that has physical contact with a person or is found where undetected contact may have occurred should be tested for rabies,” Lopeman said. “Do not damage the head of the bat because its brain is needed for testing.”

DPHHS does not recommend testing bats or other animals if there has been no exposure to humans or domestic animals.

“If you or your child has any contact with a bat; find one in your home; or are bitten/scratched by any wild/stray animal; contact your healthcare provider,” Lopeman stressed. “Contact your local health department on how safely collect involved bat.”

For additional information on rabies visit Rabie (mt.gov)orcontactyourlocalhealthdepartment.