MILLVILLE, California –
A fight between a raccoon and a duck led to a local woman needing rabies treatment, the Cumberland County Health Department said Friday.
The duck's owner touched the open wounds after it fought with the raccoon at property in Deerfield Township on March 22, county health officer Megan Sheppard said.
Sheppard said a man "took care of" the raccoon while the woman tended to the pet duck's wounds.
Although ducks can't contract rabies, touching the wound were the virus is present "can result in the transmission," to people, health officials said.
After the raccoon tested positive for the rabies virus, the woman was treated with post-exposure preventative medicine, Sheppard said.
The vaccine requires four injections, she said.
The rabies virus is a fatal disease usually found in wild skunks, raccoons, cats or dogs. Wildlife that is aggressive or more friendly than usual with humans or domestic animals may be infected with the virus.
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