ADPH continues taking measures to prevent potential human exposure after kitten confirmed positive for rabies

October 28, 2024 - MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) continues its investigation of possible rabies exposure to humans from a stray kitten. A litter of kittens had been abandoned on the campus of Tuskegee University. The kittens were subsequently taken to a veterinarian practice in Auburn where one of the kittens became ill and was tested for rabies. That one kitten tested positive for rabies, and three additional kittens tested negative for rabies.

An individual took one of the kittens from that litter to Georgia. ADPH authorities have been working in coordination with Georgia public health authorities who were able to identify the person who had the kitten from Alabama. That kitten is now at a veterinary clinic in Georgia under observation.

ADPH is investigating whether there is an additional kitten that has not yet been located.

Persons who were exposed to the kittens are undergoing preventive vaccination. Due to privacy concerns, ADPH cannot provide any additional information regarding humans who were exposed. ADPH continues to investigate this situation in coordination with Tuskegee University.

Rabies is contracted by bites, scratches, or mucus membrane exposure from an infected animal. Other persons are not at risk of contracting the virus.

Alabama state law requires that dogs, cats and ferrets 12 weeks of age and older be current with rabies vaccination. Although there are animal rabies vaccines that last for one year or three years, the first rabies vaccination is only good for one year, regardless of which vaccine a pet receives. Vaccinating animals reduces the risk of rabies infection should an exposure occur; thus, vaccinations help protect animals, as well as their owners and caretakers.

For more information about rabies and prevention, please contact ADPH at (334) 206-5969 or visit http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/rabies.html