Rabies

Rabies is a virus that can infect all mammals, and it is most frequently transmitted to humans through a bite from a rabid animal. Foxes, especially in the North Slope and Southwest regions, are the most common transmitters of rabies in Alaska. Rabies is a serious disease that can cause death within days of symptoms, so be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible if you suspect exposure.

Resources for the General Public

State of Alaska

• Contacts for Animal Control in Alaska
• Enzootic Regions of Alaska - Where Rabies Is Always Present in Foxes
• Video of Dog Later Confirmed to Have Rabies (Courtesy of Troy Ritter, ANTHC, 2003)
  
• Department of Environmental Conservation - Office of the State Veterinarian
• Department of Fish and Game: Rabies
• Department of Fish and Game: Alaska Bat Monitoring Program

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

World Rabies Day

• Rabies Homepage
• Rabies Information for Travelers

World Health Organization (WHO)

• Rabies Homepage

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

• Rabies Brochure

Resources for Healthcare Providers

State of Alaska: Alaska Rabies Control Manual (Updated August 2024)

• Alaska Rabies Prevention and Control Manual with Appendices D, F, G, and
• Appendix A: Section of Epidemiology Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Treatment Sheet
  Note: This treatment sheet is provided as a convenience; the Section of Epidemiology discontinued supplying rabies PEP in 2014. Providers must obtain biologics from the manufacturers or distributors. For information about the 2014 change, click here.
• Appendix B: 2007 Epidemiology Bulletin on Lay Vaccinator Program
• Appendix C: Alaska State Virology Laboratory (ASVL), Rabies specimen submission information
  Specimens will be accepted from physicians and other healthcare providers, veterinarians, environmental health officers, wildlife agents, law officers, or other individuals designated by the Alaska Division of Public Health. Rabies laboratory examinations will be limited to warm-blood animals for which there is a clear or possible history of human exposure, or animals deemed necessary by public health or wildlife authorities. Please contact the Section of Epidemiology for authorization prior to submitting specimens for rabies testing. Call 907-269-8000, or after hours call 800-478-0084.
  
  Note: for wildlife samples, state regulations designate that game species killed in "defense of life or property" (DLP) must be reported to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). This requirement is separate from the form needed to request rabies testing at ASVL.
  • State of Alaska: Defense of Life or Property Game Animal Kill Report
• Appendix E: NASPHV Compendium on Rabies Prevention and Control 2016
• April 26, 2023 Bulletin: Update on Bat Rabies in Alaska
  
• Epidemiology Bulletin Archive