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Rabies

DOH-Miami-Dade County Epidemiology Disease Control and Immunization Services

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. In the state of Florida, the most frequently reported rabid domestic mammals are outdoor cats, while raccoons, bats, and foxes are the most common wildlife sources of rabies. For this reason, domesticated dogs and cats are required by law to be vaccinated against rabies in the state of Florida, this requirement also protects household animals from wildlife exposures to rabies.

To protect yourself and your family, vaccinate your dogs, cats, ferrets, and horses against rabies. Also, avoid contact with wild or stray animal and be aware of potential signs of an infection. These signs include general sickness, problems swallowing, drooling, an animal appearing tamer than expected, an animal biting everything, or an animal that is having trouble moving.

The symptoms of rabies infection start with flu-like, quickly progressing within days to feelings of anxiety, confusion, and agitation. Once you are symptomatic—survival is rare. Rabies is one of the few viruses in the world that can cause 100% fatal illness in humans if left untreated, but it is also preventable. The last case of human rabies acquired in Florida was in 1948.

  • What to do if you’ve been exposed to an animal with possible rabies
  • What to do if you’re a health care provider of a patient with potential rabies

If you have been potentially exposed to rabies (e.g. a bite or scratch from an animal), it is important to wash the affected area with soap and water and to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your doctor will decide if you need to be vaccinated based on your type of exposure, the type of animal, and information about the area where the potential exposure occurred. If your doctor decides that you should receive the vaccination, you will receive a dose of human rabies immune globulin and the rabies vaccine on the day of exposure and the remaining doses on days 3, 7, and 14 days after the first dose. After seeking medical care, call the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County (DOH-Miami-Dade) Epidemiology Disease Control and Immunization Services at 305-470-5660 and/or Miami-Dade County Animal Control at 311.

If you are a healthcare provider and have a patient with a possible rabies exposure, report the exposure immediately to DOH-Miami-Dade County Epidemiology Disease Control and Immunization Services by phone at 305-470-5660. Use the decision tree form when deciding whether to initiate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and follow the PEP guidance. If you are treating a patient with a potential rabies exposure, please be sure to complete the case report form and report it to the DOH-Miami-Dade County Epidemiology Disease Control and Immunization Services via fax at 305-470-5533 or e-fax 786-732-8714.

 
Resources

To find current rabies alerts, visit our Newsroom.