St Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) -  A pregnant Minnesota woman and a child are undergoing treatment for possible rabies exposure after being bitten by a kitten.

The Minnesota Health Dept. says the incident happened on a farm in Otter Tail County. 

The farm owner says she saw a skunk attacking the 6-month old kitten on the front porch Oct 16th. She later saw blood and bite marks on one of the kitten’s legs. The owner, her 4-year-old son and her pregnant sister were bitten by the kitten in early November. The kitten was euthanized and submitted for rabies testing. Results were reported on November 12, and the kitten was confirmed to be infected with the rabies virus.

The Board of Animal Health is in the process of completing its investigation to determine the extent of exposure to domestic animals on the farm, which includes two rabies-vaccinated dogs, nine additional unvaccinated cats, beef cattle and a horse.

The Minnesota Department of Health conducted a human exposure investigation and recommended post-exposure prophylaxis for five people who may have been exposed to the rabies virus.

“Minnesota skunks have a very high probability of carrying the rabies virus,” said Board of Animal Health Senior Veterinarian Dr. Courtney Wheeler. “Anyone who observes a pet or livestock interacting with a skunk should contact their veterinarian and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health for recommendations.”

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