Many recent human rabies cases in the United States have been associated with rabid bats. Although people usually know when they have been bitten by a bat, bats have small teeth that may not leave marks on the skin. Rabies virus infects the brain and spinal cord of animals and humans Rabies in animals causes changes in behavior and paralysis. Animals may become very aggressive or unusually friendly. Paralysis of the muscles of the throat and jaw may cause drooling.
Seizures are common.
The disease rapidly progresses to paralysis, coma, and death. Rabies is almost always fatal. Rabies can be prevented by getting rabies shots Rabies shots given soon after an exposure will prevent rabies. If you have frequent contact with potentially rabid animals or if you will be spending time in a foreign country where rabies is common, consider getting preexposure rabies vaccinations.