Authorities tighten rabies warnings in the US after people in several states were attacked by rabid raccoons and bats

Amid a wave of attacks in some parts of the country, authorities are warning Americans to be on guard against animals infected with rabies.

This month in Missouri, two dogs were attacked by a rabid raccoon and rabid bats were found in two different homes.

Last month, a person was attacked by a stray cat with rabies in Staten Island, New York, while in Massachusetts a rabid coyote attacked two people in a park.

And earlier this year, in March, another rabid raccoon attacked visitors to a Pennsylvania theme park, and in February, a hiker in Rhode Island was forced to strangle a rabid coyote when it tried to bite him and his dog with its claws.

There are signs that there are more rabid animals than usual in some parts of the country. Health authorities are particularly concerned about bats.

Despite the increase in rabid animals, there are no official reports of an increase in rabies infections in humans.

Health officials in South Carolina warned about rabies, saying, “It is important to know that people, especially children, can be bitten by a bat without knowing it. This is because bats have tiny teeth.”

Statistics show that fewer than ten people become infected with the disease each year. Most infections can be prevented by vaccination, which is given to those affected after contact with suspected rabid animals and which prevents infection with the virus.

If infection is suspected, people should receive one dose within 24 hours, followed by three more injections on the third, seventh and 14th day after the first vaccination.

Rabies is over 99 percent fatal.

Dr. Thomas Moore, an infectious disease expert from Kansas, told DailyMail.com that he has seen more people concerned about rabies in recent years – but not more cases.

“It’s very rare for someone to be diagnosed with rabies,” he said, “and when it happens, it’s a sensation – people find out about it.”

“Usually, when there is an unprovoked animal attack, people get worried and may get vaccinated against rabies.”

Unprovoked animal attacks are a warning sign of rabies, because the disease causes animals to approach other species of all kinds, including humans, and become aggressive toward them.

Dr. Moore said he has received three calls about rabies so far this year, which is normal for this time of year.

Overall, more than 90 percent of rabies cases nationwide are due to contact with wild animals – about a third of them from bats and another third from raccoons.

A bat that is active during the day, such as found on the ground or unable to fly, should be treated as if it had rabies, officials with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) said.

People become infected with the virus when the saliva of infected animals gets into open wounds.

“If you have been bitten by an animal, seek medical attention immediately,” the IDPH said in a warning in May.

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“Bite wounds can become infected and if the animal is at high risk of rabies, preventative treatment must be started quickly,” they noted.

In addition, authorities advised residents not to kill or release the bat if possible before calling their doctor or local health department to determine if they may have been exposed to rabies and need preventative treatment.

A collected sample could help local health authorities decide on the treatment of exposed people, they added.

Many people may not even notice the infection because the first warning signs of the disease – flu-like symptoms and unexplained tingling – only appear after up to three months.

However, within a week of the onset of these symptoms, patients develop the fatal form of the disease, which affects the brain and spinal cord and causes seizures, hallucinations, and excessive salivation.

Almost all patients who become infected with rabies die from the disease. The mortality rate is 99.9 percent.

However, in rare cases, some survived after doctors put them in an induced coma. The first person to survive the disease was Jeanna Giese of Wisconsin, who was bitten by a bat in a church in 2004.

Officials in North Carolina issued rabies warnings and said they had noticed an increase in calls from people who had seen sick raccoons.

“Contact with wild animals is the most common way that humans, pets and livestock come into contact with rabies,” they explained.

“You can reduce the risk of rabies infection for you and your pets by avoiding contact with wild animals and taking simple precautions.”

In Missouri, authorities are warning of rabies infection in bats and urging the public to avoid direct contact with wild animals.

The warnings are particularly urgent given the recent appearance of baby bats that may be staying close to homes, increasing the risk of infection.