43 people are being urged by the Haywood County Health Department to undergo treatment for rabies.  this after they say a baby raccoon, that was treated like a pet, dies of the deadly disease.

Health officials say the family picked up the baby raccoon on the side of the road and cared for it.

Since it died of rabies the health department wants those who handled it to get the rabies treatments.

In North Carolina it is illegal to have a wild animal as a pet.  Wildlife officials say when it comes to taking in a wild animal, especially one like a raccoon which is prone to rabies, you’re playing with fire.

“I am very sympathetic with what they’ve done.  I’m sure they thought they were doing the right thing when they picked up a baby raccoon that didn’t have a mother around, these are the consequences,” says Mike caraway, a wildlife biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Haywood County health officials say this is the first positive rabid raccoon found in the county since 2008.

Incidentally this is the second mass post rabies exposure incident in Haywood County this summer.  Health officials say last month 31 people were treated to prevent rabies after it was discovered there was a bat in their cabin.

The Haywood County Health Department says that about 43 residents who may have been exposed to rabies as a result of a baby raccoon a family was caring for that later died and tested positive for rabies.

The raccoon died of rabies infection on Aug. 13. Prior to its death it was handled by many adults and children during the time that it was not yet showing symptoms. The letter advised any person who may have been exposed to the raccoon between June 21 and August 16 to be seen by their doctor or health care provider for a rabies Post Exposure Prophylaxis assessment.

This is the second incident since early July where dozens of people may have been exposed to rabies through situations that could have been prevented.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  website reports, “Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

The rabies virus infects the central nervous system, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The early symptoms of rabies in people are similar to that of many other illnesses, including fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, more specific symptoms appear and may include insomnia symptoms, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, hypersalivation (increase in saliva), difficulty swallowing, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Death usually occurs within days of the onset of these symptoms.

has more information about rabies.