• The US tends to average about 2-3 cases of rabies in humans per year
• However, around 6,000 animal cases are reported yearly in the US, so the potential for infection is there.
• Most cases are acquired through contact with infected animals: generally bats, foxes, and unvaccinated dogs (this is a huge problem in low- and middle-income countries)
• Of note, in 2013, a human case was reported in Maryland that was acquired through organ transplantation from an infected donor

Clinical Presentation

Rabies is, initially, a clinical diagnosis.  To see what a patient with rabies looks like, check out this 3 minute YouTube video: (There is a bit of commentary by the person who posted it at the beginning that you might want to skip through.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZbrNN9KeUI   

 

Bottom Line

Rabies, while a rare disease in the US, can occur through either contact with infected animals (especially while traveling) or via organ transplantation.  Recognizing the clinical syndrome is key to diagnosis. 

University of Maryland Section for Global Emergency Health

Author: Andi Tenner, MD, MPH, FACEP

References

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/location/usa/surveillance/human_rabies.html