What is rabies?
Rabies is a deadly virus that spreads to people through the saliva of infected animals. Rabies virus is usually spread by biting. Once a person begins to show symptoms of rabies, the disease almost always causes death. For this reason, people who may be at risk for rabies should get rabies vaccinations for protection.
What happens if you have rabies?
The rabies virus enters your body when saliva (spit) from an infected animal gets into an open wound (usually a bite). It moves very slowly along nerves in your central nervous system (your brain and spinal cord). When it reaches your brain, the damage causes neurological problems. From there, the rabies virus leads the infected person to coma and death.
Who does rabies affect?
If you are bitten by an animal that has the rabies virus, you are at risk for getting rabies. If the continent of Antarctica is left alone, it can affect people all over the world. Rabies generally affects children more than adults. There can be many reasons behind this like the immune system of children is weak and they are not able to protect themselves from animals.
How does rabies affect the body?
Rabies virus reaches the person’s brain through the wound, due to which the infected person has to go through the following stages: –
Incubation: The rabies virus can remain in your body for several days to weeks before it gets into your nervous system (incubation). During this period you do not see any symptoms. If you get treatment early in the incubation period, you will not get rabies.
Prodromal phase: Rabies travels through your nerve cells to your brain and spinal cord, causing nerve damage. The prodromal phase begins when the rabies virus enters your nervous system. Your immune system tries to fight back, causing flu-like symptoms. Nerve damage may cause tingling, pain, or numbness where you were bitten. This lasts for two to 10 days. There is no effective treatment when rabies reaches this stage.
Acute neurologic phase:- In this phase the rabies virus starts damaging your brain and spinal cord. About two-thirds of people have severe rabies, with symptoms such as aggression, seizures, and delirium. Others have paralytic rabies, with weakness and paralysis progressing from the bite wound to the rest of their body. Furious rabies can last from a few days to a week. Paralytic rabies can last up to a month.
Deep unconsciousness or coma:- Many people go into coma in the last stage of rabies infection. Rabies ultimately leads to death.
What symptoms of rabies are seen in humans?
When rabies enters a human body, no symptoms of rabies usually appear for several weeks. When rabies reaches the human central nervous system (prodromal stage), they experience flu-like symptoms. In the final stage, the person experiences neurological symptoms. Following are the commonly seen symptoms of rabies:-
Prodromal symptoms of rabies
Acute neurologic symptoms of rabies
The neurological symptoms of rabies are either furious or paralytic. The symptoms of severe rabies may come and go with periods of calm (furious episodes) in between.
Two different sized pupils (anisocoria).
Delirium.
Weakness, especially starting in the part of the body that was cut and extending to other parts of the body.
Tingling, “pins and needles” or other strange sensations.
What are the causes of rabies?
Rabies virus causes rabies infection. This virus spreads through the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals can spread the virus by biting another animal or person.
In rare cases, rabies can be spread when infected saliva gets into an open wound or mucous membrane, such as the mouth or eyes. This can happen if an infected animal licks an open cut on your skin.
Which animal can cause rabies?
Any mammalian animal (animals that feed milk to their young) can spread the rabies virus. Following are the animals which are more likely to spread rabies virus:-
Usually this virus spreads more through dog bites, but you should still avoid all animal bites.
What are the risk factors for rabies?
Factors that may increase your risk of rabies include:
Traveling or living in developing countries where rabies is more common.
Activities that are likely to expose you to wild animals that may carry rabies, such as exploring caves where bats live or traveling without taking precautions to keep wild animals away from your campsite.
Working as a veterinarian.
Working in the laboratory with the rabies virus.
Sores on the head or neck, which can help the rabies virus get to your brain more quickly.
How is rabies diagnosed?
Unlike most diseases, you should not wait for symptoms to diagnose rabies. If you are bitten or scratched by a wild animal or a pet that may have rabies, you should tell your doctor immediately and start taking appropriate treatment. The doctor will examine your wound or scratch and ask you about the animal. If you have been bitten by a pet, the doctor may ask you to share information about its scheduled vaccinations.
According to the information received, the doctor may ask you to get the following tests done: –
Saliva test:– By testing saliva, it is seen whether the symptoms of rabies are increasing or not and if yes, then how fast?
Skin biopsy: – For this test, the doctor or investigator will take a small sample of skin from the back of your neck, so that the symptoms of rabies can be checked.
Cerebrospinal fluid test (lumbar puncture): Your investigator will use a needle to take a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample from your lower back. Your CSF sample will be sent to a laboratory to look for signs of rabies.
Blood tests: Your examiner will take blood from your arm to check for symptoms of rabies. In some situations, a sample can also be taken from the wound, but this happens very rarely.
MRI:- With the help of this test, the doctor will check the changes going on in your brain and what changes are taking place in the brain due to rabies.
How is rabies treated?
There is no approved treatment for rabies once symptoms appear. If you have come in contact with rabies, contact a doctor as soon as possible and give them complete information in this regard.
Clean the wound gently but thoroughly with soap and water. Be sure to ask your doctor for additional instructions about wound cleaning. Your doctor will give you several shots to prevent the virus from causing rabies. They will also give you antibody treatment directly to the wound if you have never been vaccinated before.
If you are exposed to rabies, medications will prevent infection from spreading to your brain. These following medicines are often combined :-
Rabies vaccine:- Your doctor will give you four shots in 14 days. If you have already been vaccinated before exposure, you will only need two shots. The vaccine causes your body to begin destroying the rabies virus before it enters your brain.
Human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) :- Your doctor will place bandages around your wound. HRIG will give you antibodies that will destroy the virus near the wound until your body takes over. You will not be given HRIG if you have been vaccinated before your exposure.
Rabies treatment may cause some of the following side effects:-
Pain, itching or swelling where you were given the shot.
If you notice any serious side effects along with the above, inform your doctor immediately.
Why is there no cure for rabies?
There is no cure once rabies gets into your brain because it is protected by your blood-brain barrier. Your blood-brain barrier is a layer between your brain and the blood vessels in your head. Its job is to protect your brain by preventing toxins and other dangerous substances from your blood from getting into your brain. It is like a very fine sieve. Researchers aren’t sure how, but rabies shuts down this barrier even further, so drugs that can destroy it can’t be found.
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