Photo from smalldoorvet.com
Rabies is a deadly virus that is transmitted to humans through the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is typically spread through a bite.
Bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and skunks are the animals most likely to spread rabies in the United States. Stray dogs are the most likely to transmit rabies to humans in underdeveloped countries.
When a person begins to display signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease almost often kills them. As a result, everybody who is at danger of developing rabies should receive rabies vaccinations to protect themselves.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF RABIES?
The initial symptoms of rabies can be quite similar to those of the flu and can linger for many days.
Subsequent signs and symptoms may include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Agitation
- Fear caused by attempting to drink fluids due to trouble swallowing water
- Fear caused by air being blown in the face
- Insomnia
- Partial paralysis
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Hyperactivity
- Swallowing Difficulties
- Excessive drooling
WHAT SHOULD YOU SEE A DOCTOR?
If you have been bitten by an animal or have been exposed to an animal suspected of having rabies, get emergency medical attention. You and your doctor can decide whether you should be treated for rabies based on your injuries and the circumstances surrounding the exposure.
Seek medical assistance even if you're not sure if you've been bitten. A bat, for example, that flies into your room while you're asleep may bite you without waking you up. Assume you've been bitten if you wake up to find a bat in your room. Also, if you find a bat near someone who is unable to disclose a bite, such as a small child or someone with a disability, assume that person has been bitten.
WHAT CAUSES RABIES?
Rabies is caused by the rabies virus. The virus spreads through infected animals' saliva. Infected animals can spread the virus to other animals or humans by biting them.
Rabies can be transmitted in rare situations when infected saliva enters an open cut or mucous membrane, such as the mouth or eyes. If an infected animal licked an open wound on your skin, this may happen.
ANIMALS CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING THE RABIES VIRUS
The rabies virus can be disseminated by any mammal (animals that nurse their young). The following animals are the most likely to transmit the rabies virus to humans:
Farm animals and pets
- Cats
- Cows
- Dogs
- Ferrets
- Goats
- Horses
Wild animals
- Bats
- Beavers
- Coyotes
- Foxes
- Monkeys
- Raccoons
- Skunks
- Woodchucks
In very rare circumstances, an infected organ has transferred the virus to tissue and organ transplant recipients.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR RABIES?
The following factors can enhance your chance of contracting rabies:
- Traveling to or living in an underdeveloped country where rabies is more prevalent
- Activities that are likely to expose you to rabies-infected wild animals, such as exploring caverns where bats reside or camping without taking precautions to keep wild animals away from your campground.
- Working as a veterinary technician
- Working with the rabies virus in a laboratory
- Wounds to the head or neck, which may allow the rabies virus to travel more quickly to your brain.
HOW IS RABIES DIAGNOSED?
There is no way to know whether a possibly rabid animal has transferred the rabies virus to you at the time the animal bites you. It's also typical not to locate biting marks. Many tests may be ordered by your doctor to detect the rabies virus, but they may need to be repeated later to confirm whether you are infected. If you have been exposed to the rabies virus, your doctor would most likely recommend treatment as quickly as possible to prevent the virus from entering your body.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR RABIES?
There is no effective treatment for rabies once it has been established. Although a few humans have survived rabies, the disease is usually fatal. As a result, if you suspect you've been exposed to rabies, you must receive a series of shots to prevent the infection from spreading.
Treatment for persons who have been bitten by rabies-infected animals
If you've been bitten by a rabid animal, you'll be given a series of vaccinations to keep the rabies virus from infecting you. If you can't find the animal that bit you, it's probably reasonable to believe it has rabies. However, this will depend on a number of things, including the species of animal and the circumstances surrounding the bite.
Rabies vaccinations include:
- A rapid-acting vaccine (rabies immune globulin) to keep the virus from infecting you. If you haven't gotten the rabies vaccine, you'll be given this. This injection is administered as quickly as possible after the bite, preferably near the site where the animal bit you.
- A series of rabies vaccines designed to teach your body how to recognize and fight the rabies virus. Rabies vaccinations are administered through injections in the arm. If you have not previously received the rabies immunizations, you will receive four shots over the course of 14 days. If you have previously had the rabies vaccine, you will receive two shots over the next three days.
DETERMINING WETHER THE ANIMAL THAT BIT YOU IS INFECTED WITH RABIES
In rare circumstances, you can test to see if the animal that bit you has rabies before starting the course of rabies injections. If it is decided that the animal is healthy, the vaccinations will not be required.
The procedures for identifying whether an animal has rabies differ depending on the situation. For instance:
- Farm animals and pets: Cats, dogs, and ferrets that bite can be monitored for 10 days to see if they exhibit rabies symptoms. If the animal that bit you remains healthy during the observation period, it is not infected with rabies and you will not require rabies vaccines.
Other pets and farm animals are evaluated on an individual basis. Consult your doctor and local public health officials to determine whether you should be immunized against rabies.
- Captureable wild animals: Wild creatures that can be tracked down and captured, such as a bat that has entered your home, can be killed and tested for rabies. Brain tests on the animal may reveal the presence of the rabies virus. You won't need the vaccinations if the animal doesn't have rabies.
- Animals that have gone missing: If the animal that bit you cannot be located, consult your doctor and the local health department. In some circumstances, it may be safer to assume the animal has rabies and administer the rabies injections. In some circumstances, it may be found that the animal that bit you did not have rabies and therefore rabies injections are not required.
WHAT CAN YOU DO IN THE MEANTIME IF YOU'VE BEEN BITTEN BY A RABID ANIMAL?
Wash your wound gently and thoroughly with soap and plenty of water. This may help wash the infection away.
If the animal that bit you can be trapped or captured without causing further injury, do so. Do not kill the animal with a blow or a shot to the head, as the resulting injuries may make laboratory testing to identify whether the animal has rabies difficult.
Inform your doctor that you have captured the animal that bit you. Your doctor may next contact the local health authorities to determine what to do with the animal.
HOW TO PREVENT A RABIES INFECTION
To limit your chances of coming into contact with rabid animals, take the following precautions:
- Vaccinate your animals: Rabies vaccines are available for cats, dogs, and ferrets. Inquire with your veterinarian about how frequently your dogs should be vaccinated.
- Keep your pets in their kennels: Keep your dogs inside and keep an eye on them when they go outside. This will help keep your pets away from wild animals.
- Protect your little pets from predators: Keep rabbits and other tiny pets, such as guinea pigs, inside or in secure cages to keep wild animals at bay. These little animals cannot be immunized against rabies.
- Keep bats away from your home: Seal any crevices or openings via which bats can enter your home. If you know you have bats in your home, consult with a local expert to figure out how to keep them out.
- Consider getting a rabies vaccine if you are traveling or frequently come into contact with animals that may be infected with rabies: If you're going to a place where rabies is frequent and will be there for a lengthy amount of time, consult your doctor about getting the rabies vaccine. This entails traveling to outlying locations where medical care is scarce.
Get the rabies vaccine if you work as a veterinarian or in a lab with the rabies virus.