Health authorities in North Carolina have issued a public health alert following potential rabies exposure at a mobile petting zoo. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) confirmed that three baby goats tested positive for rabies at Farm Adventures in Harmony, Iredell County. The laboratory results were revealed on August 28, and a fourth goat is presumed infected.
Cause of Exposure
State health officials reported that the exposure likely occurred in late July when a skunk entered the goats’ pen. According to a Facebook post by Farm Adventures, the baby goats were kept in a separate pen and were not yet vaccinated. The skunk entered the pen, bit the goats, and was later removed and disposed of by the farm.
Farm Adventures stated they were unaware of the bites as the goats showed no rabies symptoms. “Trust me, if we did, we would not have spent $100s of dollars for vets,” they remarked.
No other animals at the farm are believed to be affected, and they pose no risk for rabies exposure. Investigations are currently ongoing.
Exposure and Contact Tracing
Health departments are urging anyone who had direct contact with the baby goats between July 28 and August 27 at Farm Adventures or off-site events to contact their local health department immediately.
Several public locations and dates where visitors might have been exposed include:
- July 28: Jurney’s Assisted Living, Statesville (Iredell County)
- July 30: Private event (Mecklenburg County)
- Aug. 1: Community Connections Back-to-School Bash, Breeden Amphitheater, Lexington (Davidson County)
- Aug. 6: Brookdale Peachtree, Statesville (Iredell County)
- Aug. 8: Private event (Watauga County)
- Aug. 9: Private event (Burke County)
- Aug. 15: Masonic Picnic Grounds, Mocksville (Davie County)
- Aug. 16: Private event (Durham County)
- Aug. 22: Private event (Iredell County)
- Aug. 23: Private event (Durham County)
Those who attended these events and interacted with the animals should contact their health department or medical provider to assess appropriate preventative measures before visiting urgent care or emergency rooms.
Understanding Rabies
Rabies is a virus that attacks the central nervous system. Human cases are rare in the U.S., with North Carolina not recording any since 2011. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states about 1.4 million Americans get evaluated for possible exposure annually, with fewer than 10 deaths due to effective prevention protocols.
Wild animals like raccoons, skunks, and foxes are primary carriers, with skunks being major reservoirs in the Midwest and West. Rabies spreads through infected saliva, typically via bites or scratches. Early symptoms resemble flu-like conditions, such as fever, headache, and irritation at the wound site.
Rabies can manifest in two forms:
- Furious rabies: Causes hyperactivity, hallucinations, hydrophobia, and cardio-respiratory arrest, leading to death within days.
- Paralytic rabies: Results in gradual paralysis, starting from the wound site, progressing to coma and death, affecting around 20% of human cases.
Despite its risk, rabies is preventable with timely vaccination and medical attention post-exposure. The CDC recommends a treatment plan that includes wound cleaning, human rabies immune globulin, and rabies vaccine.
Because baby goats are often closely handled in petting zoos, the likelihood of direct contact with infected animals is high.
Outcome for the Infected Goats
The infected goats, named Molly, Maggie, Cow, and Uno, were euthanized to stop the virus. Farm Adventures shared in its Facebook post that they acted transparently about the incident to prevent further spread and will monitor the remaining animals per health officials’ guidelines.