Rabies

General Information on Rabies

Rabies is a serious viral infection of the central nervous system transmitted through a bite of an infected animal. In most patients symptoms begin to appear within 1 to3 months after the bite. However, some patients may experience symptoms as early as 5 days after the bite or late as 5 years. Once symptoms begin to appear, survival is extremely rare.

Symptoms of Rabies

Early symptoms of rabies include:

Fatigue
Restlessness
Irritability
Cough
Sore Throat
Mild Fever
Increased saliva production
Increase in tear production

Later symptoms (2 to 10 days after initial symptoms appear) include:

Violent behavior
Hyperactivity
Violent spasms of the throat muscles that severely impair swallowing
High fever
Confusion
Irregular heartbeat
Irregular breathing

Treatments For Rabies

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam of the wound. If the animal has been retained, a study of the animal’s tissue will be conducted. Other medical tests include blood tests and fluid and electrolyte studies. Your observation of the circumstances of your injury will help your doctor assess for risks of rabies. Animals that attack without provocation tend to be more likely to be infected.

Treatment depends on the type of exposure, the risk of rabies in the species of animal, the circumstance of the biting incident, and the vaccination status of the animal. For serious wounds, hospital care and surgery may be needed. Initial treatment will be aimed at cleaning and repairing the bite wound. Additional treatment may include injections of rabies-immune globulin, injections of the human-diploid cell vaccine, and a possible tetanus booster. In most cases, early medical treatment will prevent rabies. However, once symptoms begin to appear, survival is very rare.

If you have been bitten by an animal, immediately wash the wound with soup and water. Contact emergency medical services immediately for advice. Then, if the animal’s vaccination status is uncertain, contact animal services for the immediate detainment and quarantine of the animal. If you have been exposed to a bat (even in the absence of bite or scratch marks) seek medical care. Finally, remember not to panic. The viral incubation period allows enough time for treatment and prevention.

Personal Experience

Rabies - personal experiences