Every year in South Carolina, about 150 animals test positive for rabies, with about 30% of those cases involving exposure to humans.
The disease remains a threat to people nearly 140 years after French scientist Louis Pasteur and his team developed a vaccine in 1885, and in the developed world the threat these days comes primarily from wild animals.
Known scientifically as rabies lyssavirus, rabies is a zoonotic disease — meaning it passes to humans from animals — that has been affecting humans since before recorded history.
In the vast stretch of time before a vaccine became available, the disease was a looming terror for human beings because it so often came through a bite from the longest domesticated companion animal, the dog.
Although easily preventable through vaccinations or through speedy medical intervention after possible exposure, the disease is still nearly 100% fatal once symptoms manifest.
The range of these symptoms and singular suffering brought on by the disease have been part of the human experience for so long that mentions of rabies cases date back to the earliest days of recorded history.
Ancient scourge
The deep history and profound impact rabies has had on human society is explored in “Rabid: A Cultural History of the World’s Most Diabolical Virus,” written in 2012 by journalist Bill Wasik and veterinarian Monica Murphy.
To highlight why the disease grips the human imagination, even today, the authors open the book with descriptions of what rabies does to the people and animals it infects.
Instead of using the infected animal’s bloodstream to spread, the rabies virus travels through the nervous system to the brain. Once there its effects often produce aggression and excessive salivation — the proverbial foaming at the mouth.
Historically, one of the hallmarks of the disease in humans is a condition called hydrophobia, which is a fear of water. In fact, the condition describes such a distinctive aspect of rabies that it was used up until modern times to refer to the disease. Wasik and Murphy describe this as one of the disease’s most insidious characteristics as human sufferers throughout history reported being desperately thirsty and yet often deathly afraid of water.
Aside from the telltale fear of water, rabies throughout the centuries has been closely associated with humanity’s deepest fears about madness. Wasik and Patterson point to strong connections between the virus and the origin of tales about vampires, werewolves and even zombies.
Folklore and deep-seated human fears aside, rabies remains a worldwide threat, particularly as humans and animals often share many of the same spaces.
Modern menace
Rabies continues to persist on every continent but Antarctica and kills on average about 70,000 humans annually worldwide, predominantly in Africa and Asia, according to the World Health Organization.
Outside the U.S., dogs are responsible for 99% of human exposures and deaths, according to the WHO, primarily due to extremely low vaccination rates in the developing world.
In the developed world, particularly in the U.S., human exposure to rabies comes primarily from wildlife. About 60,000 people in this country receive medical treatment for suspected rabies exposure each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Any mammal can carry and transmit rabies. In South Carolina, the most common animal carriers are raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health.
In November, a rabid skunk was confirmed in Easley with three suspected pet exposures. The three dogs suspected of exposure were placed into quarantine as required by state law.
“To reduce the risk of getting rabies, always give wild and stray animals plenty of space,” said Terri McCollister, rabies program director for the DPH, in a statement about the Easley case. “If you see an animal in need, avoid touching it and contact someone trained in handling animals, such as your local animal control officer, wildlife control operator or wildlife rehabilitator.”
According to the DPH, it is important to keep pets up to date on their rabies vaccination, as this is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect against the disease. The skunk was the fifth animal in Pickens County to test positive for rabies in 2024.
There have been 74 cases of rabid animals statewide this year. Since 2002, South Carolina has averaged approximately 148 positive cases a year, according to DPH.
Simple precautions
With South Carolina — and the Upstate in particular — experiencing rapid development, human-wildlife encounters will continue to increase.
With such encounters comes the potential for possible exposure to rabies, but there are a few simple steps people can take to mitigate that risk, according to advice from DPH and the state Department of Natural Resources.
First, avoid contact with wild animals. Just because an animal may appear cute and cuddly does not mean it is safe to handle.
Another thing to keep in mind is that simply seeing a wild animal in your neighborhood or near your home doesn’t mean it is necessarily rabid, according to Tammy Waldrop, a biologist with SCDNR.
To reduce chances of attracting wild animals, Waldrop said homeowners should not serve or store pet food outside and should secure things like grills and garbage containers away from areas where wild animals can get to them.
It is also important to keep pets up to date on vaccinations. South Carolina law requires pet dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies.
For more information visit dph.sc.gov/rabies or cdc.gov/rabies.
Rabies in South Carolina fast facts
- Since 2002, about 150 animals annually have tested positive for rabies in South Carolina.
- About 30% of those cases involve a suspected exposure to humans.
- The primary animal carriers in South Carolina are raccoons, skunks foxes and bats.
- State law requires rabies vaccinations for pet dogs, cats and ferrets.
- Any mammal can potentially carry and transmit rabies.
Source: S.C. Department of Public Health
