What is rabies? How long will it take for rabies to kill you? Rabies is a terrible disease that is transmitted to humans by the bite of a wild or domestic animal infected with the rabies virus. Generally, it is a virus disease that is transmitted as a result of the bite of sick animals and ends with death due to inflammation of the brain. In unvaccinated humans, rabies is almost always fatal. Let’s look at the detail information about rabies in the text below.
How Is Rabies Transmitted?
The main source of rabies in nature is wild animals such as wolves, jackals, foxes, pigs, bears, and hyenas. Besides, only a kind of bat seen in South America carries the rabies virus. Animals such as snakes and lizards do not carry rabies viruses, and birds, chickens, mice, hamsters, and rabbits do not carry the risk of rabies. Almost all animals get sick and die of rabies virus. Only bats can carry the rabies virus without getting sick. Rabies is caused by bites of sick animals and causes disease due to passing to humans. Rarely, people with open wounds can also get rabies virus from scratching of these sick animals with saliva. Almost all of the injuries at risk of rabies are caused by unjustified attacks.
Rabies Symptoms
- Fever,
- Headache, cough
- Anorexia, abdominal pain
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Muscle weakness and malaise
- Burning sensation in the bitten area
Rabies In Animals
Animals with rabies show behavioral changes during the first period of the disease. In the beginning, they become timid and cowardly. They often urinate and have a desire to drink excess water. At first, while trying to stay out of sight, they don’t listen to the owner’s orders, and even attack their owners. Dogs leave their homes and never come back. As the disease progresses, they begin to release large amounts of saliva from the mouths. Gradually their balance disappears, they become unable to walk with the paralysis that occurs, and they fall. An animal with rabies dies within a week at the latest.
Rabies In Humans
Rabies occurs, as a result, of a virus in the wound caused by the animal. The virus goes to the brain, and it begins to multiply. This process is slow. After the entry of the virus into the body until the symptoms of the disease is called incubation period. Although this period varies between 20 and 60 days, the incubation period may be shortened or extended depending on the wound’s size and closure to the brain. It may shorten up to 4-5 days or extend to one year.
Rabies Treatment
The most effective procedure is to wash the wound with plenty of soapy water. It is an easy procedure, which can be performed anywhere and has been shown to reduce the risk of rabies to more than 90 percent. The second essential procedure is to take care of the animal causing the injury, if possible. As mentioned earlier, animals with rabies die within a week at the latest. The survival of the animal under observation for ten days will indicate that the risk of rabies has disappeared. It will protect us from unnecessary fear and panic, as well. Another point is to apply to a health institution as soon as possible. The physician evaluating the patient will give all the data into consideration.
Vaccine For Rabies
The only treatment method for rabies is vaccination. The classic program is that the day you are bitten is counted as day 0, and in the form of one dose of vaccination each day on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 28th and 90th days. Different vaccination programs can be applied, but it will be decided by the physician in the institution.
Bottom Line
It is wrong to kill an angry animal that has bitten or injured. If the attack does not continue, animals should not be killed, unless there is a continuing danger. The wound should not be treated with different methods. In any case, you should not forget to apply to a health institution.
