Three people were treated for exposure to rabies after a raccoon attacked a person on a walking trail earlier this week near a subdivision, state health officials said Friday.

The animal went after a person in Cullman earlier this week while showing signs of rabies of the disease, so it was collected and tested for the neurological illness, the Alabama Department of Public Health said in a statement.

An investigation showed three people were potentially exposed to rabies, so they were treated to prevent infection.

“Wildlife species pose the greatest risk of rabies, and they should be avoided if at all possible, especially when the animal is acting strangely or aggressively,” said Dr. Dee W. Jones, the state public health veterinarian.

The rabies virus is transmitted by saliva. Left untreated in humans, it can be fatal.