RABIES

Rabies is a preventable viral

disease

of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid

animal. Although dog bites are a common cause of rabies in
developing countries, the vast majority of rabies cases reported
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each
year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.
Rabies is spread by infected saliva that enters the body through a
bite or broken skin. The virus travels from the wound to the brain,
where it causes swelling, or inflammation. This inflammation
leads to symptoms of the disease. Most rabies deaths occur in
children.

Rabies is an acute viral infection is transmitted to humans by a bite or by the

exposure of broken skin to an infected animal's saliva. Immunization given
early (preferably within 24 hours but certainly within 72 hours) can usually
prevent the disease
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Warning
Signs
*The actual time between infection and when you get sick (called
the "incubation period") ranges from 10 days - 7 years. The
average incubation period is 3 - 7 weeks.
Animals
If a wild animal is acting strangely, stay away from it.
Some things to look for are:
general sickness
problems swallowing
lots of drool or saliva

If you have an
unvaccinated
pet and it
shows any of
these signs, or
is acting
strangely, you
should have an
adult carefully
take it to your
veterinarian to
be checked

an animal that appears more tame than you

would expect
an animal that bites at everything
an animal that's having trouble moving or may
even be paralyzed
People
In people, it may take one month, two months, or
even three months to show signs of rabies. But once
people get rabies, they almost always die. Thats
why its so important to go see a doctor right away if
youve been bitten by an animal that might have
rabies.
Early symptoms of rabies in people include:
fever
headache
sore throat
feeling tired
If

the disease develops, then the signs include:

pain and tingling at the place they were bitten
seeing things that arent really there
a fear of water because of sudden, strong
tightening of the muscles in the throat
being paralyzed and unable to move parts of
the body.
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How do you
know if an
animal has
rabies ?

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You cant tell if an animal has rabies by just looking at it. A clue though is if
the animal is acting strangely.
Some animals may act mad when they have rabies. They will be hostile
and may try to bite you or other animals. In movies, animals with rabies
look like they are foaming at the mouth. Whats really happening is that
the rabies makes them have more saliva and that makes them drool.
Other animals may act timid or shy when they have rabies. This is the
most common kind. A wild animal might move slowly or act tame. You
might be able to easily get close to it. Since thats not the way wild
animals usually act, you should remember that something could be wrong.
The only way doctors can know for sure if an animal or a person has rabies
is to do a laboratory tests.
The best thing to do is to never feed or approach a wild animal. Be careful
of pets that you do not know. If you see a stray dog or cat, dont pet it. And
if any animal is acting strangely, call your local animal control officer for
help.

Signs and tests

If an animal bites you, try to gather as much information about the animal as possible. Call
your local animal control authorities to safely capture the animal. If rabies is suspected, the
animal will be watched for signs of rabies.
A special test called immunofluorescence is used to look at the brain tissue after an animal is
dead. This test can reveal whether or not the animal had rabies.
The same test can be used to check for rabies in humans, using a piece of skin from the
neck. Doctors may also look for the rabies virus in your saliva or spinal fluid, although these
tests are not as sensitive and may need to be repeated.

Rabies is a serious disease that is caused by a

virus. Rabies is 100% preventable. Animals can be
vaccinated and people who have been bitten can
receive vaccines to fight the disease.

Treatment
Clean the wound well with soap and water, and seek professional medical help.
You'll need a doctor to thoroughly clean the wound and remove any foreign
objects. Most of the time, stitches should not be used for animal bite wounds.
If there is any risk of rabies, you will be given a series of a preventive vaccine.
This is generally given in 5 doses over 28 days.
Most patients also receive a treatment called human rabies immunoglobulin
(HRIG). This is given the day the bite occurred.
Call your doctor right away after an animal bite or after being exposed to animals
such as bats, foxes, and skunks. They may carry rabies.

Call even when no bite took place.

Immunization and treatment for possible rabies are recommended for at

least up to 14 days after exposure or a bite.

There is no known effective treatment for people with symptoms of a rabies

infection.

Expectations (prognosis)
It's possible to prevent rabies if immunization is given soon after the
bite.
Once the symptoms appear, the person rarely survives the disease,
even with treatment. Death from respiratory failure usually occurs
within 7 days after symptoms start.

Complications
Untreated, rabies can lead to coma and death.
In rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the rabies vaccine

Prevention
To help prevent rabies:

Avoid contact with animals you don't know.

Get vaccinated if you work in a high-risk occupation or travel to countries

with a high rate of rabies.

Make sure your pets receive the proper immunizations. Dogs and cats
should get rabies vaccines by 4 months of age, followed by a booster
shot 1 year later, and another one every 1 or 3 years, depending on the
type of vaccine used.

Follow quarantine regulations on importing dogs and other mammals in

disease-free countries.

http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002310/

Leopard attack: 3 months on, man dies of rabies!

A hospitalized human rabies victim in restraints.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090929/dun.htm#5
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/rabies/photos.htm