To combat the spread of rabies in western Pennsylvania, the state is initiating an oral raccoon rabies baiting project, which includes bait dropping in Mercer County.

There's a concern with raccoon rabies, which is being located throughout Pennsylvania. In Mercer County, one cat, one bat and one raccoon were found to have rabies this year, according to the Pennsylvania Health Department. The specific locations of those cases were not available.

Rabies is a serious disease that is caused by a virus. Each year, it kills more than 50,000 people and millions of animals around the world, according to the Center for Disease Control.

There have been 184 positive statewide cases reported so far this year. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health in cooperation with USDA Wildlife Services are working together on the local baiting operation, which runs through August and September.

Animals get rabies from saliva, usually from a bite of an animal that has the disease. The bait project is intended to decrease the number of rabies cases in Western Pennsylvania counties to stop the animal epidemic from spreading further westward.

Baits -- vaccine packets placed inside a fishmeal block that is extremely tasty to raccoons -- are dropped from low-flying airplanes or helicopters, or by local teams on foot or in vehicles. Most of the baits will be consumed about five days after being distributed.

Baits should be left alone, but intact baits can be moved into a fencerow, woodlot, ditch or other raccoon habitat areas if they are found where children and pets play.

Damaged baits should be bagged and disposed in the trash, using gloves or a paper towel. Handwashing is important after any skin contact with damaged bait.

A few baits aren't harmful if eaten by pets, but eating too many may cause vomiting or diarrhea. Don't try to take bait from the mouth of a pet. Following baiting in the area, confine pets for four or five days and feed your pet indoors. If a pet eats bait, avoid the saliva for 24 hours and wash skin or wounds that may have been licked. Baits are intended for wild animals, and shouldn't be considered a vaccine for dogs cats or other domestic animals.

Animals with rabies may act differently from healthy animals. Wild animals may move slowly or may act as if they are tame. A pet that is usually friendly may snap out or try to bite. Some signs of rabies in animals are: changes in an animal's behavior, general sickness, problems swallowing, increased drooling and aggression.