A severe shortage of human rabies vaccine has brought new urgency to directives on dealing with wild life or unfamiliar stray animals to limit potential exposure to the disease of rabies. (Please see more information on the Public Health web site.)

A decrease in production has resulted in a severe shortage of the human rabies vaccine, and local health officials say the present shortage of the vaccine warrants more information to the public.

“If you've been bitten or exposed to an animal it is now more important than ever to safely capture the animal for testing,” says Donna Nussdorfer, Communicable Disease Program Coordinator with Washtenaw County Public Health.

The web site advises that, after any bite of an animal that is wild, or unknown to you, “do not shoo the animal out of your house or yard, try to capture it safely, preferably with help from animal control, so it can be tested for rabies. If the animal gets away, it's likely that you will need the rabies vaccination, perhaps needlessly.”

Get more specific information on the Washtenaw County Public Health web pages.