Rabies: Overview

Dogs, bats, wolves, foxes, mongooses, and monkeys are usually known to spread rabies. In India, stray dogs are most likely to infect people with this virus.

Once rabies symptoms start to appear, the disease almost invariably results in death. For protection, rabies vaccinations must be given to those who are at a risk of catching the virus.

Symptoms

Early symptoms of rabies are similar to flu, however one might see the following changes after some time:

When To See a Doctor?

If you are bitten by an animal or are exposed to one that may have rabies, get immediate medical help. Based on your injuries and the circumstances surrounding the exposure, your doctor will guide you and decide if you need to get rabies therapy or not.

Seek medical assistance even if you're unsure whether you've been bitten. A bat that enters your room while you are asleep, for example, might bite you without waking you up.

Additionally, if you see a bat or another one of these animals close to someone who is unable to express themselves, like a young child or someone who is disabled, you should assume they have been bitten.

A rabies infection is brought on by the rabies virus. This virus is transferred via infected animals' saliva. By biting another animal or a person, infected animals can transmit the virus.

When contaminated saliva contacts an open wound or mucous membranes, such as the mouth or eyes, rabies can, in rare instances, be transmitted. Rabies may also occur if an infected animal licks an open wound on your skin. Animals that transmit this virus are:

It has rarely been seen that the virus is transferred from an infected organ to recipients of tissue and organ transplants.

Risk Factors

Factors that can increase your risk of rabies include:

Prevention from Ringworm Infection

In order to lessen your chances of interacting with rabies animals:

Diagnosis

At the time a potentially rabid animal bites you, there's no way to know whether the animal has transmitted the virus. At times, you may also not find any bite marks too. Your doctor will order tests to detect the rabies virus, but they may need to be repeated later for further confirmation. If there's a chance you have been exposed to the rabies virus, your doctor will likely recommend immediate treatment to prevent spreading of the infection.

Treatment

Once the infection has taken hold, there is no cure for rabies. Although a few people have managed to survive, the illness usually results in death. If you believe you have been exposed to rabies, you must receive a series of shots to stop the disease from becoming fatal.

Treatment for those who have been bitten by rabid animals

You'll get a series of shots if you've been bitten by an animal known to have rabies to stop the virus from infecting you. If the animal cannot be tested, it is usually considered best to assume that the animal has rabies. However, this will depend on a number of variables, including the species of the animal and the circumstances surrounding the bite.

Lifestyle changes and selfcare

To prevent rabies and other infections make following changes:

Do’s and Don’ts

This condition requires proper treatment and a set of do’s and don’ts to be followed to manage it and its related symptoms and infections.

Care at Medicover Hospitals

At Medicover Hospitals, we have the most trusted team of doctors and medical experts who are experienced in providing empathetic healthcare services. Our diagnostic department is equipped with modern technology and equipments to conduct the tests required for the diagnosis of rabies, based on which a dedicated treatment plan is designed. We have an excellent team of General Physicians who diagnose and treat this condition with utmost precision resulting in successful treatment outcomes.

Citations