(Go Erie) Is rabies still present in Pennsylvania? Yes. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 175 raccoons, 63 cats, 39 bats, 32 skunks and 25 foxes tested positive for rabies in 2017.
Fortunately, no human in Pennsylvania has been infected with rabies since 1984. However, each year many people undergo rabies treatment as a precaution immediately following animal bites.
Rabies can affect the nervous system of any mammal, including humans. It is a viral infection that causes brain disease and is almost always fatal.
The early symptoms of rabies in people are similar to that of many other illnesses and include fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, symptoms may include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation (increase in saliva) and difficulty swallowing. Read the full story on Go Erie.
