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Rabies cases are rising in the United States with life-threatening consequences for people who don’t receive timely treatment.
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who → log → treatment
Los Angeles just reported its first case in a raccoon in over 50 years this week.
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Angeles → report → years
National parks have warned about swooping rabid bats and rabid beavers attacked in Maryland over the summer.
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parks → warn → summer
Cases jumped 17 percent nationwide this summer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month.
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Cases → jump → Control
The viral infection affects the central nervous system, leading to flu-like illness, confusion, agitation, aggressive behavior, anxiety and hallucinations.
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infection → affect → illness
Infections can be fatal if people don't receive medical care before symptoms start, according to the CDC.
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symptoms → receive → CDC
People can protect themselves by taking precautions and knowing about sources of exposure.
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People → protect → exposure
Animals are the most common way that rabies spreads but there have been reports of rarer methods of transmission, including during organ transplants.
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rabies → spread → transplants
The best way to avoid rabies is to maintain a safe distance from wildlife, health officials say.
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officials → avoid → wildlife
That means never approaching any animals that appear to be injured, sick or even dead.
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that → mean → animals
Infections can occur weeks or months following a bite or scratch.
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Infections → occur → bite
If you come across an animal that you suspect may have rabies, you should contact your local animal control department.
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you → come → department
A dead animal can still spread the virus through contact with saliva or wounds, according to health officials.
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animal → spread → officials
Pets should also be kept away from wild animals as much as possible.
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Pets → keep → animals
Owners need to ensure their pets are up-to-date on rabies vaccines, too.
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pets → need → vaccines
Some of these shots are covered by pet insurance plans, Progressive notes.
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Progressive → cover → plans
People who work with or around animals, including veterinarians and lab wildlife rehabilitators, may be advised to receive a pre-exposure rabies vaccine, as well.
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who → work → vaccine
These are rarely covered by health insurance plans and may cost up to $280 to $360 per dose, according to Purdue University.
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These → cover → University
What to do if you’re exposed to rabies
If you believe you have been exposed to rabies through a bite or a scratch, wash the wounds with soap and water for 15 minutes to help flush out the virus.
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you → expose → virus
You should tell a healthcare professional about if you work around animals, the type of animal you encountered and if there were signs the animal was not acting normally.
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animal → tell → animal
If the animal is a pet, ask the owner for proof that the animal is up to date on their rabies vaccination.
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animal → ask → vaccination
And if you’re unsure if you had any direct contact with a rabid animal but still think you have been exposed, consult your local health department.
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you → ’re → department
Medical care after a rabies exposure includes wound care, a medication that provides protective immune antibodies and a series of four or five vaccines.
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that → include → vaccines
But vaccinations after being exposed to rabies can be expensive, costing thousands of dollars for people without health insurance.
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vaccinations → expose → insurance
That’s why knowing when people need the shots is crucial.
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people → ’ → shots
Some 100,000 Americans are vaccinated against rabies following a potential rabies exposure every year.
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Americans → vaccinate → exposure
Federal data shows there are typically around 4,000 cases of the virus each year, with fewer than 10 deaths.
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data → show → deaths
The Aporia
