Rabies is an infectious viral disease the affects the nervous system of humans and other mammals. People get rabies from the bite of an animal with rabies (a rabid animal). Any wild mammal, like a raccoon, skunk, coyote, or bat can have rabies and transmit it to people. It is also possible, but quite rare, that people may get rabies if infectious material from a rabid animal, such as saliva, gets directly into their eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.
Because rabies is a fatal disease, the goal of Saratoga County Department of Health is to prevent human exposure to rabies by education and to prevent the disease by anti-rabies treatment if exposure occurs.