Gooding County teenager bitten by rabid skunk

BOISE – A Gooding County teen was bitten by a rabies-infected wild skunk, officials with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said Tuesday.

The teen is under medical care and receiving the proper treatments, officials said.

Though several bats test positive for rabies every year in Idaho, this is the first reported case of a rabid skunk. Because skunks tend to live communally, there may be other rabid skunks in the area, officials said.

“Skunks are attracted to cat and dog food, which increases the chance that a domestic pet will come in contact with a skunk,” Leslie Tengelsen, the deputy state epidemiologist, said in a prepared statement. “Pet owners can move all pet food indoors or cover it between feeding times and make sure their pets are up-to-date on their vaccinations.”

Rabies is a virus-caused disease that attacks the central nervous system. If left untreated, it can be fatal.