Rabies exposures are climbing — and so are treatment errors

The CDC has issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) advisory warning clinicians about a notable spike in human exposures to rabid animals this summer. The agency handled 17% more rabies-related inquiries over the past two months than during the same period last year, with mass exposure events adding to the concern — including nearly 300 people potentially exposed to rabid goats at a mobile petting zoo in North Carolina.

As exposures climb, so has the use of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). But increased treatment volume isn't the only issue — health departments in at least eight states have also reported a rise in PEP administration errors, prompting the CDC to remind clinicians of proper protocols based on a patient's prior vaccination status and immunocompromising conditions.

By the Numbers:

• 17% increase in rabies-related CDC inquiries over the past 2 months vs. last year
• 33% rise in rabies vaccine use from July–August vs. the same period in 2025
• 76% rise in human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) use over the same period
• ~1.4 million U.S. residents seek care annually after contact with a potentially rabid animal
• ~100,000 people receive rabies PEP each year

Why it matters: Rabies is nearly 100% fatal once symptoms appear, making timely and correctly administered PEP critical. With supplies under strain and administration errors on the rise, the CDC's guidance is a timely reminder that getting PEP right — right product, right dose, right patient history — can be the difference between life and death.