July 2019 AST Magazine AST July 2019 Magazine | Page 20
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July 2019 - Edition 35
Learn what Americans should know about current rabies risks from wild animals in their area and
how the public, international travelers, and healthcare providers can prevent rabies.
Are You at Risk for Rabies? Awareness
is Key to Preventing Deadly Disease
Bats are responsible for rough-
ly 7 in 10 rabies deaths among
people who are infected with
the rabies virus in the United
States, possibly because people
may not know of the risk bats
pose, according to the Vital
Signs report released in June
by the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention.
The large percentage of deaths
tied to bats is particularly strik-
ing since bats account for just a
third of the 5,000 rabid animals
reported each year in the U.S.
Rabid dogs that people encoun-
ter while traveling overseas are
the second-leading cause of ra-
bies cases in Americans.
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