Rabies

What is rabies?

An acute viral infection of the nervous system, once known as hydrophobia, that primarily affects dogs but can be transmitted to humans by a bite or a lick over broken skin. The virus travels to the brain once symptoms develop, rabies is usually fatal. Domestic dogs, cats, and rabbits — and wild animals such as skunks, raccoons, and bats — are able to transfer the virus to humans via bites and scratches. The key to fighting the virus is a quick response.

What are the symptoms of rabies?

The period between the bite and the onset of symptoms is called the incubation period. It usually takes 3 weeks to 3 months for a person to develop rabies symptoms once they’ve contracted the infection, per the CDC. However, incubation periods can also range from 1 week to 1 year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The initial onset of rabies begins with flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle weakness, and tingling. You may also feel burning at the bite site. As the virus continues to attack the CNS, there are two different types of the disease that can develop: furious rabies and paralytic rabies.

Furious rabies

People who develop furious rabies will be hyperactive and excitable and may display erratic behavior. Other symptoms include:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Agitation
• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Excess salivation or foaming at the mouth
• Problems swallowing
• Fear of water

Paralytic rabies

This form of rabies takes longer to set in. People with the infection slowly become paralyzed, will eventually slip into a coma, and die. According to the WHO, 20 percent of human rabies cases are paralytic.

How do people catch rabies?

Animals with rabies transfer the virus to other animals and humans via a scratch or saliva following a bite. However, any contact with the mucous membranes or an open wound can also transmit the virus. The transmission of this virus is considered to occur exclusively from animal to animal and animal to human. While human-to-human transmission of the virus is extremely rare, there have been a handful of cases reported following corneal transplants. For humans who contract rabies, a bite from an unvaccinated dog is by far the most common culprit.

Once a person has been bitten, the virus spreads through their nerves to their brain. Bites or scratches on the head and neck are thought to speed up the brain and spinal cord involvement because of the location of the initial trauma. For that reason, if you’re bitten on the neck, it’s especially important to seek help immediately. Following a bite, the rabies virus spreads by way of the nerve cells to the brain. Once in the brain, the virus multiplies rapidly. This activity causes severe inflammation of the brain and spinal cord after which the person deteriorates rapidly and dies.

How can you prevent rabies?

Rabies is a preventable disease. There are simple measures you can take to help keep you from catching rabies:

• Get a rabies vaccination when working closely with animals, or working in a lab handling the rabies virus.
• Vaccinate your pets.
• Keep your pets from roaming outside.
• Report stray animals to animal control.
• Avoid contact with wild animals.
• Prevent bats from entering living spaces or other structures near your home.

Can rabies be cured?

Once a person has developed rabies, it is rare for the disease to be cured. However, after being exposed to the rabies virus, you can have a series of injections to prevent an infection from setting in. Rabies immunoglobulin, which gives you an immediate dose of rabies antibodies to fight the infection, helps to prevent the virus from getting a foothold. Then, getting the rabies vaccine is the key to avoiding the disease.

What do I do after an animal bite?

Wash the wound for at least 15 minutes with soap and water, detergent, or iodine. Getting a rabies vaccination as soon as possible after an animal bite is the best way to prevent the infection. The rabies vaccine is given in a series of five shots over 14 days. Find the offending animal if possible and send to the vet for observation.