Rabies

Skunk in a green field

Rabies is a fatal disease that can be transmitted from animals, specifically mammals, 
to people. The virus is often transmitted from the bite of an infected animal that infect the nervous system, causing disease in the brain and then death. Public health and animal health officials work together with human healthcare providers to prevent this disease in humans and animals.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Response (IDER) team answer approximately 450 calls each year on rabies-related issues and provide technical support to local health departments, healthcare providers, veterinarians, animal control officers, and the public. If you have a question about rabies, including consultation for post-exposure prophylaxis, take the Rabies Exposure Assessment or call the Epidemiology Hotline at 877-427-7317 for immediate assistance. 

The Kansas State University Rabies Laboratory conducts animal rabies testing for the state of Kansas as a fee-for-service. Laboratory-confirmed rabid animals are reported to KDHE's IDER team, and a follow-up investigation is conducted for each positive, unsuitable, or indeterminant case.

  1. For Care Providers
  2. Regulations & Guidance
  3. Data