Moles, small burrowing mammals, are often perceived as potential disease carriers due to their subterranean habits. Rabies, a severe viral disease affecting the nervous system of mammals, raises concerns regarding wildlife interactions. While moles are mammals and can technically contract rabies, its incidence in them is extremely rare, distinguishing them from common rabies vectors.
Rabies in Moles: The Low Likelihood
The subterranean lifestyle of moles significantly reduces their exposure to the rabies virus. Moles spend most of their lives underground, hunting insects and worms. This behavior minimizes their direct contact with primary rabies carriers like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes, which are more frequently involved in transmission.
Moles are also largely solitary animals, further limiting interaction with other wildlife. Unlike many common rabies vectors that engage in aggressive encounters or predatory behaviors, moles are not known for such interactions. Reports of rabid moles are uncommon, making them a very low risk for transmitting rabies to humans or pets.
Understanding Rabies Transmission and Signs
Rabies primarily spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, most often via a bite that breaks the skin. The virus travels along nerve pathways to the brain and spinal cord, where it causes severe inflammation. Non-bite exposures, such as infected saliva coming into contact with open wounds or mucous membranes like the eyes, nose, or mouth, can also transmit the virus, though this is less common.
Animals infected with rabies often display changes in behavior, which can include unusual aggression, disorientation, or uncharacteristic tameness. Other signs might involve excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, staggering, or paralysis. In humans, initial symptoms can resemble the flu, with fever, headache, and general malaise, sometimes accompanied by tingling or pain at the wound site. As the disease progresses, neurological symptoms such as anxiety, confusion, hyperactivity, hallucinations, and fear of water (hydrophobia) can develop. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal if left untreated.
What to Do After a Potential Exposure
Encountering any wild animal, including a mole, requires caution; avoid handling them, especially if they appear sick, injured, or behave unusually. If a bite or scratch occurs, immediate and thorough wound care is important. Wash the wound vigorously with soap and water for several minutes to help remove the virus.
Following initial wound care, seeking prompt medical attention is essential. A healthcare provider can assess the risk of rabies exposure based on the animal involved and the nature of the contact. They will determine if post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which includes a series of rabies vaccines and possibly human rabies immune globulin, is necessary to prevent the disease. Additionally, contacting local animal control or health departments is recommended to report the incident and for guidance on animal testing, if feasible.