Rabies Outbreak in an Urban, Unmanaged Cat Colony - Maryland, August 2024.

Abstract

Exposure to a rabid animal is a life-threatening emergency because infection is almost always fatal if rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) is not initiated promptly. In August 2024, the Maryland Department of Health was notified that an aggressive feral cat had been captured and euthanized and had subsequently received a positive test result for rabies. The cat was part of a group of approximately 20 local feral cats and kittens that was receiving no, or little, human care (i.e., an unmanaged cat colony). Cecil County (Maryland) Health Department and the Maryland Department of Health coordinated with Cecil County Animal Services, Cecil County Emergency Services, and CDC to identify and interview persons potentially exposed to the rabid cat, which included a novel use of reverse 911 messaging. Three persons were identified who had been exposed, and all received PEP. No human rabies cases occurred. Three additional cats from the colony were captured and euthanized; their rabies test results were negative. Unmanaged cat colonies pose public health risks, and extensive resources might be required to prevent negative health outcomes. Cat colony management, including activities to maintain high rabies vaccination coverage within colonies, can help to mitigate these risks. A better understanding of urban cat ecology and its role in rabies transmission and human exposure is needed.