Rabies - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

An enraged beast frothing at the mouth, is typically the word Rabies brings to our mind. Since an encounter with such an infected animal can result in a life-threatening, painful condition as being mentioned above.According to WHO (World Health Organization) report there are more than 60,000 people, who get infected with this dreadful disease every year. And most out of them, approximately 90% have been bitten by a rabid dog. However, the availability of rabies vaccine for both human and the animals has led to a steep decline of rabies in all developed nations across the world.

Rabies is a disease that affects the CNS (Central Nervous System) in human beings, especially the brain. Wild animals like bats, skunks, raccoons and domesticated wildlife like dogs, rabbits and cats can transfer the rabies virus to human beings. This happens when humans gets bitten or scratched by these wild and domesticated beasts.The key to fighting this disease is to look for an immediate medical assistance, once you are bitten or scratched by any of these animals, be at home or in the wild.

Once infected the incubation period between the bite and the onset of the rabies symptoms usually takes anywhere between 4-12 weeks. But it has also been noticed, this incubation can also range from a few days to 6 yrs.

Rabies is caused by ‘’rhabdoviruses’’. The central nervous system is adversely affected by the condition. The disease is divided into five stages in human beings which are incubation, prodrome, acute neurologic period, coma, and death, out of which incubation period is variable and ranges from less than a week to more than a year or up to months.

If left untreated, rabies symptoms develop between 3 to 12 weeks. First few symptoms are :

• High fever
• Generally feeling of being unwell
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Discomfort at the site of the bite

Other symptoms appear a few days later and are:

• Confusion or aggressive behavior
• Hallucinations
• Excessive salivation or frothing from the mouth
• Muscle spasms
• Difficulty in swallowing or breathing
• Paralysis

After the symptoms appear, rabies is mostly fatal. Flu-like symptoms of fever, headache, muscle ache, weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, and tiredness are common initially. At first, tingling, numbness, and itching around the bite area may be seen. Sensitivity to lights, sounds or touch is commonly seen along with other symptoms. Fear of choking and fear of water are common signs of rabies.

Animals who are infected with this disease transfer the rabies virus to other animals and human begins following a bite or a scratch via their saliva. Nevertheless, any contact of the rabies virus with an open wound or with the mucous membrane can spread this disease.

While human transmission of rabies virus is an extremely rare occurrence, transmission of this virus exclusively occurs from animal to animal and animal to human beings. According to reports from WHO, for all the humans who get infected with this disease, an unvaccinated dog is by far the most common threat for spreading this disease.

So, if you have been exposed to the rabies virus, and you have not been vaccinated before, rabies immunoglobulin is injected on the patients on such emergency circumstances, which prevents the virus from getting a foothold.

The incubation period of rabies in humans is generally between 20-60 days. Although the fulminant disease can become symptomatic within 5-6 days, the point of concern is that in 1-3% cases, the incubation period may be greater than 6 months. Definitive diagnosis has been made plenty of times even 7 years after exposure, although the reasons for this latency are unknown.

The incubation period relies upon a few factors, for example, the area of infection passage and viral burden. A few cases with long incubation periods can't be affirmed because the individual may have been exposed to the infection on different occasions.

Rabies disease is brought about by the rabies infection. The infection is spread through the spit of infected creatures who spread it by gnawing another creature or individual. At times, rabies is spread when the rabies contamination gets into open injury or the mucous layers, for instance, mouth or eyes and it happens when an infected creature licks these territories.

Any warm-blooded creature can transmit the rabies infection. Most basic creatures transmitting the infection are:

• Cats
• Cows
• Hounds
• Ferrets
• Goats
• Steeds
• Bats
• Beavers
• Coyotes
• Foxes
• Raccoons
• Monkeys
• Skunks
• Woodchucks

In a couple of uncommon cases, the rabies infection might be transmitted to tissue and organ transplant beneficiaries from an infected organ.

If rabies disease is set up, there is no compelling treatment. The disease is typically lethal. Thus, you have been exposed to the rabies infection, you should get a couple of shots to keep the infection from grabbing hold. If you have been bitten by an infected animal, you receive these shots. If the animal that has bitten you can’t be located, it is safest to assume that the animal is infected.

Rabies shots are of two sorts:

• Quick-acting shot to keep the infection from tainting you.
• A progression of rabies antibodies to enable your body to figure out how to recognize and battle the rabies infection. You get four infusions for more than 14 days.

Now and again, it might be conceivable to distinguish whether the creature that bit you is infected or not.

Procedures to determine this may vary from situation to situation.

• Pets and livestock: Possibly watched for 10 days to check whether they give indications and side effects of rabies. If the animal seems healthy during this period, then it is not infected.
• Wild animals that can be caught: Like but can be killed and tested through its brain for the virus. If the animal does not have the virus, then you don’t need the shots.
• Animals that can’t be found: In these cases, it is best to assume that the animal that bit you is infected and you receive the shots.

High-risk people like veterans, animal handlers, etc. should be given this vaccine. People whose activities bring them into contact with the rabies virus and rabid animals and international travelers who come into contact with all types of animals should also be considered for these vaccines.

The pre-exposure schedule for vaccines is in 3 doses given as:

• Dose 1: As appropriate
• Dose 2: 7 days after dose 1
• Dose 3: 21 days or 28 days after dose 1

Booster doses need to be given to people who are repeatedly exposed to the virus.

Vaccination after an introduction: An individual who is uncovered and has never been immunized against rabies ought to get 4 dosages of rabies immunization one portion immediately, extra dosages on third, seventh and fourteenth days. They ought to likewise get another shot called Rabies Immune Globulin simultaneously as the main portion.

An individual who has been as of lately vaccinated should get 2 portions of rabies antibody one quickly and another on the third day and rabies Immune Globulin isn't required.

1. Governmental strategies for prevention of rabies are:
   • Rlessegular anti-rabies vaccinations for pets and domestic animals
   • Bans on the import of animals from some regions
   • Widespread vaccination of humans in certain areas
   • Instructive data and mindfulness
2. Humans ought to vaccinate their pets to abstain from contracting rabies
3. Secure little pets: Some pets can't be immunized, so they ought to be kept in an enclosure or inside the house to shield them from wild predators.
   • Pets ought to be securely restricted at home and supervised when outside
   • Contact local animal control officials when you see stray animals
   • Animals with rabies tend to be less cautious than others and they may try to contact humans which must be avoided
   • Seal your homes to keep bats from nesting
   • Anyone who is traveling to an area with animals with rabies predominating in those areas should get vaccinated before traveling

• Acute neurologic period: This endures from between 2 to 10 days and quite often finishes in death. The indications change contingent upon how serious or how gentle the underlying presentation was. Symptoms of rabies during the acute neurological period are:
  • Hyperactivity
  • Excessive salivation
  • Hydrophobia
  • Priapism
  • Photophobia
  • Paranoia
  • Confusion and incoherence
  • Aggression
  • Hallucinations
  • Seizures
  • Partial paralysis
  • Delirium

These symptoms lead to massive brain inflammation leading to a coma. If intensive care is not provided on time, death is inevitable in a few hours to days.

• Furious rabies:It is the most well-known type. It is portrayed by brutal physical and neurological indications. Side effects are hindered by quiet stages. Demise, as a rule, happens due to cardio-respiratory arrest.
• Paralytic rabies: It is influences about 20% of individuals and may cause shortcoming of muscles, beginning from the site of introduction growing outwards. Paralysis is usually due to hip injuries and death due to respiratory failure.
• Atypical rabies: It is the type associated with bat bites. Symptoms are usually a combination of both furious and paralytic types.

The main aspect one should always look in for after being bitten by any animal is to get emergency first aid and it involves washing out the wound immediately with soap or with the antiseptic solution available. By doing so one can kill the germs that may be transferred via the bite of the animal.

Efforts must be done to stop bleeding in the wound. The local bodies or the animal owner should be notified immediately to prevent further cases. Then the person should approach the nearest health care center to get further treatment. Leaving wounds untreated may lead to complications henceforth it is advised to get health care treatment at the nearest health care center rather than at home.

Summary: Rabies is a lethal disease caused by the rhabdoviruses due to the bite from an infected dog or other mammals. It is incurable, however, its prevention can be done. The survival rate is almost negligible and hence it is a fatal disease. The treatment is recommended for preventing the individual from acquiring any sort of infection and it includes administration of vaccines. But once the infection gets in, there is nothing anybody can do in order to save the life of the infected individual and death is almost sure to happen.