STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi’s first confirmed rabies case in a decade is a reminder that proper vaccination of domestic animals is helpful in preventing infection.

The Mississippi Board of Animal Health, or MBAH, announced May 6 that a bat in Tippah County tested positive for rabies, a fatal viral disease. Two potentially exposed puppies were quarantined.

Rabies affects mammals and is typically spread through the bite of an infected animal or when saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with a wound. The Tippah County case is the third confirmed case of rabies in Mississippi since 1961.

Dr. Carla Huston, Mississippi State University Extension Service veterinarian and professor with the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, said rabies originated from bats is the most common type, and transmission through mammals is possible but generally rare in the U.S. However, the virus is also fatal for humans if left untreated. In Mississippi, a 10-year-old child died from rabies in 2005.

“The chances of getting rabies from a dog or cat bite are rare, but anyone bitten by a bat should seek immediate medical attention from a physician,” Huston said. “We have a very good and effective rabies vaccine for animals, so now is a good time to make sure those vaccinations are up to date.”

MBAH State Veterinarian Dr. Jim Watson said owners of dogs, cats or ferrets must vaccinate their animals against rabies once they reach 3 months of age, either by or under the oversight of a veterinarian. In addition, state law requires rabies vaccinations to be given one year after the initial vaccination and every three years thereafter.

“Rabies vaccinations are very effective in protecting people and pets from this deadly virus,” Watson said in an MBAH release. “It is key these vaccinations stay up to date and for pet owners to follow the rabies vaccination schedule required by law.”

Along with vaccinating their pets, people can protect themselves against the virus by avoiding contact with live or dead animals known for carrying the virus, including bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks. Anyone who finds a sick or dead bat near their residence should call the Mississippi State Department of Health at 601-576-7400.

The other confirmed case of a rabies variant in Mississippi was in 2015 from a feral cat. Both cases were traced to an infected bat, per MBAH.

Pet owners can find more preparedness tips for their animals in the MSU Extension publication “Disaster Preparedness for Pet Owners,” online at https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/disaster-preparedness-for-pet-owners.

More information about rabies and rabies prevention is available at the Mississippi State Department of Health website at https://msdh.ms.gov/page/14,0,142.html.