Health Advisory

Nationwide Increase in Reported Human Rabies Exposures: Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Administration

September 10, 2026

Missouri health care providers, please contact your local public health agency or the Missouri
Department of Health and Senior Services’ Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and
Prevention at 573-751-6113 or 800-392-0272 (24/7) with questions regarding this CDC Health Advisory.

Summary

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory in response to recent reports of increases in human exposures to rabid or possibly rabid animals and rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) administration errors. Since July 2026, multiple United States jurisdictions have reported local increases in human rabies exposures involving known rabies vectors or animals in which rabies is less commonly reported. Several high-profile rabies outbreaks and mass rabies exposure events have highlighted the importance of performing careful rabies risk assessments and following evidence-based recommendations for administering PEP. Health departments can help clinicians who provide rabies vaccination in their jurisdictions stay aware of the importance of rabies risk assessments before administering PEP. Clinicians and healthcare facilities can work to make sure that PEP is administered only when appropriate and that human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccines are administered according to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations.

For additional Information visit health.mo.gov.

Submitted by: ERC Duty Officer, Emergency Response Center (ERC) Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services 912 Wildwood Dr., PO Box 570 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570 Phone: 573-526-9711, Facsimile: 573-526-8389 Email: DRMS@health.mo.gov

CDC's Message Types:
Health Alert: Conveys the highest level of importance about a public health incident.
Health Advisory: Provides important information about a public health incident.
Health Update: Provides updated information about a public health incident.

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