Rabies is a viral infection that can be deadly when the symptoms have appeared. This disease spreads easily and is transmitted mainly by dogs that are infected, through a bite. The incubation period is between 3 and 12 weeks; Although it is possible for this virus to be transmitted to any mammal, the most common are dogs, cats, and bats. It is necessary to take immediate measures before the bite of an animal infected with rabies, since the prognosis can be fatal. This infection can be prevented if the animal has been previously vaccinated. At ONsalus we explain the causes, symptoms and treatments of rabies
Causes of rabies
The rabies virus is transmitted by infected saliva, through a bite or a wound, this virus goes to the nervous system where it causes inflammation and from there the symptoms appear. Although the cause of rabies is usually a dog bite, there are also other animals that can transmit the virus:
- Bat bite.
- Raccoon bite.
- Wild animal bites such as foxes or skunks.
It is important to note that Rabies can only be transmitted through bites and scratches, if it has been entered in contact with the animal's saliva by licking there is no risk.
Rabies symptoms
It can take between 10 days and 7 years for symptoms to appear once a person has been infected. Once the crisis manifests, it lasts between 2 and 10 days and the outcome is usually fatal. The infected person goes through four phases, in the first, which would be the incubation phase, the disease is asymptomatic, in a second phase the symptoms are not very specific. In the third phase, the person already presents symptoms of rabies and will finally enter a coma.
Some of the symptoms of rabies are:
- Seizures.
- Drool.
- Excessive sensitivity in the area of the bite.
- Loss of muscle sensitivity.
- Hydrophobia, or phobia of water.
- Muscle spasms.
- Tingling or numbness.
- Little sensitivity in some areas of the body.
- Difficulty to swallow.
- Restlessness or hyperactivity.
Rabies treatment
To treat rabies you must act quickly to do so first clean the wound with soap and waterand immediately call the emergency room. Once there, the doctor will do a deeper cleaning and remove any foreign object and generally in animal bites it is not necessary to suture or sew the wound.
It should be noted that the time between the bite and the first cleaning of the wound is crucial to prevent the infection from advancing. If there is a risk of having contracted rabies, preventive vaccines will be placedOn the other hand, immunoglobulin will also be administered, which are the antibodies found in the blood.
Rabies prevention
Rabies is an infection that can be prevented, which is why we are giving you some measures in this regard:
- Get vaccinated against rabies if you have to work with such animals.
- Do not come into contact with animals you do not know or strays.
- Make sure your pet is vaccinated.
- Consult your doctor immediately after contact with carrier animals, even if there has been no bite.
- Be careful when buying animals from other countries.
Forecast
The application of the vaccine opportunely, will be the key so that the prognosis is favorable, otherwise it can be fatal. When the symptoms have already appeared, it is quite unusual for the person to recover even when treatment has been administered. They usually die of respiratory complications 7 days after symptoms appear.
This article is merely informative, at ONsalus.com we do not have the authority to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to go to a doctor in the event of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
