What to know about rabies
What is rabies?
Rabies is a deadly viral infection that is transmitted from an infected animal via a flesh wound (bite, scratch, etc.). The rabies virus infects the nervous system and causes swelling and inflammation. If a rabies infection is not treated in time, it can lead to death.
What animals can transmit rabies?
Some of the most common animals to transmit rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, and dogs.
What are the symptoms of rabies?
Usually the first symptoms of rabies are weakness, fever, and headache, very similar to the symptoms of a flu. After a few days symptoms of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, and agitation may begin to arise. Delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia can also occur if the disease goes untreated.
How long can rabies go untreated for?
It is very rare for someone to survive a rabies infections. Typically victims don't live more than 10 days after becoming infected. Rabies is a medical urgency and not an emergency but one should get treatment as soon as possible. However, in the case for children, rabies becomes a medical emergency, as rabies is more deadly in children.
How is treatment for rabies like?
Doctors will usually have to determine whether you need a rabies vaccination or not. If you do need a vaccination, it will be based on the type of exposure and animal. In the United States, 1 dose of rabies immune globulin and 4 doses of the rabies vaccine are administered over a 14 day period. The vaccine is relatively painless, much like a flu vaccine.
Rabies is a deadly viral infection that is transmitted from an infected animal via a flesh wound (bite, scratch, etc.). The rabies virus infects the nervous system and causes swelling and inflammation. If a rabies infection is not treated in time, it can lead to death.
What animals can transmit rabies?
Some of the most common animals to transmit rabies are raccoons, skunks, bats, and dogs.
What are the symptoms of rabies?
Usually the first symptoms of rabies are weakness, fever, and headache, very similar to the symptoms of a flu. After a few days symptoms of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, and agitation may begin to arise. Delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia can also occur if the disease goes untreated.
How long can rabies go untreated for?
It is very rare for someone to survive a rabies infections. Typically victims don't live more than 10 days after becoming infected. Rabies is a medical urgency and not an emergency but one should get treatment as soon as possible. However, in the case for children, rabies becomes a medical emergency, as rabies is more deadly in children.
How is treatment for rabies like?
Doctors will usually have to determine whether you need a rabies vaccination or not. If you do need a vaccination, it will be based on the type of exposure and animal. In the United States, 1 dose of rabies immune globulin and 4 doses of the rabies vaccine are administered over a 14 day period. The vaccine is relatively painless, much like a flu vaccine.
