At a glance
During this COCA Call, presenters will discuss the current rabies landscape in the United States and CDC resources to help clinicians and health departments with risk assessments. Presenters will also highlight animal-related costs and impacts from rabies and how risk assessments can help avoid financial damage from costs associated with rabies exposures.
Overview
Because there are fewer than 10 confirmed human rabies cases in the United States each year, rabies isn't always easily recognized by clinicians. But about 4,000 animals are confirmed to have rabies each year in the United States, and people are exposed to the virus every day. Rabies exposure can have far-reaching consequences: it can be difficult to know when post-exposure prophylaxis is necessary; rabies in pets and livestock can have significant financial implications; and medical costs after potential rabies exposures amount to hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
During this COCA Call, presenters will discuss the current rabies landscape in the United States and CDC resources to help clinicians and health departments with risk assessments. Presenters will also highlight animal-related costs and impacts from rabies and how risk assessments can help avoid financial damage from costs associated with rabies exposures.
Webinar
A few minutes before the webinar begins, please click here to join.
Registration is not required.
Presenters
Ryan Wallace, DVM
Veterinary Medical Officer
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Carrie Klumb, MPH
Senior Epidemiologist
Rabies Surveillance Coordinator
Minnesota Department of Health
Katy Donovan, PhD
Deputy State Epidemiologist, Rhode Island Department of Health
Office of Readiness and Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Alexia "Allie" Goodman, MPH
Public Health Epidemiologist
Rhode Island Department of Health
Call Objectives
COCA Call Objectives
At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to accomplish the following:
- Cite background information on the topic covered during the presentation.
- Identify CDC's role in the topic covered during the presentation.
- Describe the topic's implications for clinicians.
- Identify concerns and issues related to preparedness for and response to urgent public health threats.
- Identify how an interprofessional team of healthcare providers can work with patients to promote disease prevention.
Activity-specific Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to accomplish the following:
- Describe the four key components of a rabies exposure risk assessment when evaluating a bite victim and the unique considerations of rabies epizootiology in the United States.
- Explain the occupational risk that rabies in livestock can present to farmers and veterinarians and how to mitigate that risk.
- Describe the importance of a thorough rabies exposure assessment prior to recommending the patient for post-exposure prophylaxis vaccination.
Continuing Education
To receive continuing education (CE) for WC5003-043026—Rabies is Still Here: Epidemiology, Outbreaks, and Costs of Prevention in the United States, please visit CDC TRAIN and search for the course in the Course Catalog using WC5003-043026. Follow the steps below by June 1, 2026. The registration code is COCA043026.
To receive continuing education (CE) for WD5003-043026—Rabies is Still Here: Epidemiology, Outbreaks, and Costs of Prevention in the United States, please visit CDC TRAIN and search for the course in the Course Catalog using WD5003-043026.
Follow the steps below between June 2, 2026, and June 2, 2028.
- Register for and complete the course.
- Pass the post-assessment at 80%.
- Complete the evaluation.
- Visit Your Learning to access your certificates and transcript.
Accreditation Statements
In support of improving patient care, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
CME: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
AAPA CME: Credit Designation Statement – Live The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1 AAPA Category 1 CME credits.
CNE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this activity for 1 nursing contact hours.
CPE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designated this Knowledge-based event for pharmacists to receive 0.1 CEUs in pharmacy education. The Universal Activity Number is JA4008229-0000-26-018-L04-P and enduring JA4008229-0000-26-019-H04-P.
CEU: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEU's for this program.
CECH: Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 1 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Maximum advanced level continuing education contact hours available are 1. Continuing Competency credits available are 1. CDC provider number 98614.
AAVSB/RACE: This program was reviewed and approved by AAVSB RACE program for 1 hours of continuing education. Participants should be aware that some boards have limitations on the number of hours accepted in certain categories and/or restrictions on certain methods of delivery of continuing education. Please contact the AAVSB RACE program if you have any comments/concerns regarding this program's validity or relevancy to the veterinary profession.
For Certified Public Health Professionals (CPH): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a pre-approved provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) recertification credits and is authorized to offer 1 CPH recertification credits for this program.
DISCLOSURE: In compliance with continuing education requirements, all planners and presenters/moderators must disclose all financial relationships, in any amount, with ineligible companies over the previous 24 months as well as any use of unlabeled product(s) or products under investigational use.
CDC, our planners, and presenters/moderators wish to disclose they have no financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
Content will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or a product under investigational use.
CDC did not accept financial or in-kind support from ineligible companies for this continuing education activity.
CDC complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, or sex. To learn more visit: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/nondiscrimination/index.html.
Fees
There are no fees for CE.
Target Audience
- Epidemiologists
- Public Health Professionals
- Physicians, Veterinarians
- Veterinary Public Health Professionals
- Nurses, and Other Clinicians.
Additional Information
- Contact Information: coca@cdc.gov
- Support/Funding: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Emergency Risk Communication
- Method of Participation: You may participate in the educational activity by viewing the program information above.