THIS IS AN OFFICIAL CDC HEALTH ADVISORY 

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐃𝐂 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤

𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝐂𝐃𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍-𝟎𝟎𝟓𝟑𝟑

 

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.

Read full notification at:

https://www.cdc.gov/han/php/notices/han00533.html