Fifteen teenagers in a rural Moroccan town have been treated for rabies after reportedly having sex with an infected local donkey, according to reports.

The youths, from Sidi Al Kamel spent a week in the hospital being treated after the animal transmitted the disease to them, Morocco World News reported, citing the Moroccan daily Al Akhbar newspaper.

The shocking incident left the families of the youngsters “in distress and horror.”

It was also claimed the actual number infected could be a lot higher as many families took their sons for treatment at hospitals outside the immediate area to avoid shame.

The infected boys stayed at the Mechraa Belksiri Hospital for one week to receive a rabies vaccination.

Local authorities are now trying to find anyone else who has “approached” or “admired” the animal closely to limit further spread of disease.

The occurrence quickly became the subject of mockery and ridicule among the population of the small town.

However, it has also become a subject of fear and shame for parents who, in the utmost secrecy, had their children vaccinated in case they had touched the animal.

The local authorities ordered the owner of the animal to slaughter it to avoid further risk of spreading the disease.