Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management Rabies

The rabies virus attacks the central nervous system. It is most commonly transferred by saliva or the infected animals nervous tissue coming into contact with your mouth, eyes, nose, or an open cut. After initial contact with the virus it hitches a ride up the nerves directly to the brain. It then can spread throughout the body to other organs, via the CNS, but will not enter the blood stream. Rabies is not a blood borne virus. However if the infected animals head should be "damaged" then you may be spattered by blood and infected brain tissue, thus transferring the disease.