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Home Divisions Epidemiology and Response Infectious Disease Epidemiology Zoonotic Diseases Rabies

Rabies

Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. Domestic animals account for less than 10% of the reported rabies cases, with cats, cattle, and dogs most often reported rabid.

Rabies virus infects the central nervous system, causing encephalopathy and ultimately death. Early symptoms of rabies in humans are nonspecific, consisting of fever, headache, and general malaise. As the disease progresses, neurological symptoms appear and may include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation, difficulty swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Death usually occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

This Rabies Frequently Asked Questions document answers the common questions about rabies including what it is, how people contract it, what the symptoms are, seeking medical attention, rabies vaccine, protecting your pet, how to deal with animal bites, and more.

Fox Rabies Information Pamphlet

This pamphlet provides information about fox rabies. It explains when you should call someone, who you call, what rabies is and how people get it, rabies exposure details, vaccinations, quick facts, oral baiting, and more.

Rabies Manual for Investigation

This CD Manual - Rabies provides all the information required to investigate rabies cases including a summary of the disease, mode of transmission, period of communicability, incubation period, diagnosis, prophylaxis, surveillance, control measures, and more.

Rabies State Regulations, National Rabies Compendium & Guidance

The Rabies Compendium 2016 by the National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians explains national animal rabies prevention and control best practices. The Introduction Letter details what has changed in the 2016 Rabies Compendium compared with the previous version. Veterinarians and animal control officers may refer to the Prospective Serologic Monitoring Guidance for further information on dogs and cats with a rabies exposure but uncertain rabies vaccination history.

NMAC 7.4.2 is the state law that governs animal control and rabies prevention requirements.

Activity in New Mexico

There have been 11 confirmed Animal Rabies Cases in New Mexico in 2024: 2 bobcats in Grant County, 2 more bobcats in Sierra County, and one fox in Sierra County. Six bats, one in Roosevelt County, one in Bernalillo County, one in Dona Ana County, one in Los Alamos County, one in Socorro County, and one more in Eddy County.

There were 16 Animal Rabies Cases in New Mexico in 2023.

See the following news releases for more information:

New Mexico Case Data

Case data from previous years are archived below for historical reference.

Combined Animal Cases

Individual Animal Cases

Learn More

Please visit the CDC's Rabies Information and Rabies Publications pages for comprehensive information about rabies.