The disease is found in all states except Hawaii.
People become infected with rabies if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.
Although rabies in humans is very rare in the United States, more than 22,000 people each year receive treatment to prevent it following an exposure. Noteworthy, only one of these patients had a definite bite history. These cases and recent findings suggest that limited or insignificant physical contact with rabid bats may cause infection, even without a clear history of animal bite. Make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies. This includes your cats as well as dogs, since more cats than dogs were reported rabid during all, but two, of the past 16 years.