Terrifying moment rabid bear attacks Pennsylvania man and leaves him infected with deadly disease

A wild bear 'aggressively' chased after a man and attacked him in Pennsylvania, leaving him infected with rabies. 

The victim, Andrew Nierer, was walking to a store in the town of Jim Thorpe on January 19 when he came face to face with the rabid beast. 

Nierer was seen on security footage trying to scurry away from the 100-pound black bear, which continued to follow him.

Before he could escape, the animal pounced - lunging at the man and wrapping its claws around him.  

Nierer suffered bites and scratches before a neighbor shot the bear.

'It could've been a lot worse,' the victim told WYOU. 'Luckily, he saved me, he shot it.'

The Pennsylvania Game Commission described the bear's behavior as 'abnormal.'

'An adult male bear aggressively approached a man then proceeded to bite and scratch him, exhibiting abnormal behaviors for a black bear,' the agency said.  

Game Commission staff took the bear for testing and concluded that it had rabies.

Despite the horrifying ordeal, Nierer told WYOU that he believed the animal was just scared and hungry. 

'They're hungry. They're starving. They're supposed to be in hibernation. This weather is weird lately. Hot, cold, warm, cold,' he explained.

'I feel bad for the bear 'cause they really do not bother you that much. Just anything happens,' he added. 

The state Game Commission that while rabies in bears is rare and cases are isolated, the disease 'poses a risk to all mammals.'

'In this particular case, male bear typically den alone therefore reducing the risk of other bear being exposed to rabies.' 

Nierer is expected to make a 'full recovery' and has 'received appropriate medical treatment.'