Symptoms & Protection of Rabies

 

Rabies is a fatal virus infection caused by a bite/scratch of a rabid animal or an infected person. Rabies affects the central system of the body, including the brain leading to death eventually. The time period of this infection is between 10 to 50 days from the time of exposure to the virus. The anti-rabies vaccine is mandatory to avoid the effect of the virus.

How does Rabies Spread?

Rabies usually starts with the rabid animal’s saliva that enters a human’s body or an animal when got bitten. It can also spread through the inhalation of any kind of aerosol particle containing a virus. Another way it happens when a rabid animal licks someone’s mouth or broken skin. Most of the time the rabies is spread through wild dogs, foxes, and cats. So it is better to make sure that at least the animals around you get rabies vaccination.

Symptoms of Rabies

●     It pains where got bitten

●     Feeling of illness

●     Fever

●     Depression

●     Headache

●     Nausea and vomiting

Once the virus starts affecting the brain, the neurological symptoms which include:

●     Anxiety and confusion

●     Excessive saliva production

●     Hallucinations, Restlessness and confusion

●     Insomnia

●     Paralysis of lower legs

●     Difficulty in swallowing

People don't need to be vaccinated unless they're exposed to the virus. Stay away from any animal showing symptoms of rabies and don't approach or touch unfamiliar animals. In case you retain garbage cans outside the house, use tamper-proof lids to stay animals away. Wash the wound after getting bitten with soap and get medical help. It is important to take treatment as soon as possible, as rabies is often fatal and also get a rabies vaccine for humans.

These are some of the symptoms of Rabies and useful measures to take, for protection against rabies. It is better to consider taking the medication immediately without any delay. It will become worse if you delay the process of getting medical care and may lead to serious damage.