RABIES

 Basic information

description

Rabies is a serious viral infection of the central nervous system, transmitted by an infected animal. In two-thirds of patients, symptoms may appear 1 to 3 months after the bite. Sometimes they may appear in as short as 5 days or as long as 5 years.

FREQUENT SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• The first symptoms may be nonspecific and flu-like (e.g., fatigue, fever, or headache) and may last for days.
• Discomfort, numbness, or tingling at the site of exposure (e.g., bite or scratch).
• Symptoms progress within days to brain dysfunction (e.g., anxiety, confusion, agitation).
• Worsening symptoms—delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, insomnia, violent movements, and inability to swallow.

causes

• The infection is caused by the rabies virus. It is spread from the saliva of an infected animal. The transmission may come from a bite or nonbite exposure (e.g., scratch, being licked over an open wound or mucus membrane, or exposure to infected brain tissue).
• Animals that are commonly infected include dogs (especially wild dogs), bats, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and raccoons. Other animals can also be infected, so consult your local health department after any animal bite.

risk increases with

Professions or activities that may involve exposure to wild animals (cave exploration, hunting, farm or ranch workers, forest rangers, some laboratory workers, and veterinarians).

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

• Vaccinate your dog or cat against rabies.
• Report stray animals in the neighborhood, and teach children to avoid them.
• Have a rabies immunization if work involves animals.
• Keep tetanus immunizations current.
• Avoid wild animals. In the United States, bats, skunks, and raccoons are the most likely to be infected, but any carnivore can carry the disease.

expected outcomes

Rabies can be prevented with early treatment following exposure to animal bites.

possible complications

Acute period of rabies typically ends after 2 to 10 days. Once symptoms of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal.

 diagnosis & treatment

general measures

• For animal bites or scratches:
  • Wash hands first. Wash the bite area for 3 to 5 minutes with mild soap and water to remove all saliva.
  • Cover the wound with a clean bandage or dry cloth.
  • Immediately call your health care provider's office or emergency room for advice.
  • Call your local animal control center to catch the animal, if possible.
  • Seek medical help if you have been exposed to a bat (such as waking up and finding one in the room) even if you have no bite or scratch marks.
  • Don't panic. The incubation period allows time for diagnosis and treatment.
• Your health care provider will examine the wound. Medical tests may include blood tests and fluid and electrolyte studies. An exam of the animal's tissue (if available) will be done. Your own observation of the animal's behavior is important. Determine if the animal was provoked. Animals that attack without reason are more likely to be infected.
• Treatment will be determined by type of exposure (bite or nonbite), the risk of rabies in the type of animal, circumstances of the biting incident, and vaccination status of animal.
• Hospital care is needed for serious wounds. Surgery may be done to clean and repair the bite wound.

medications

• Injections of rabies-immune globulin (Painful injections in the abdomen are no longer used.).
• Injections of human-diploid-cell-strain vaccine, if the animal is proven rabid.
• Tetanus booster will be prescribed if needed.

activity

No limits.

diet

No special diet.

 notify our office if

Anyone is bitten by an animal or has other exposure to an animal that may have rabies.

Special Notes: