Rabies is a serious viral disease, which usually spreads through bites or scratches from infected animals. It is also known as Lyssavirus. This disease spreads to humans through a virus, and if not treated in time, it can prove fatal.
Rabies virus infection and time frame
The time between exposure to the rabies virus and the appearance of symptoms can range from 5 days to 2 years. However, symptoms of this virus usually start appearing within 20 to 60 days in humans. This period can be even shorter in children. In some rare cases, it has been seen that symptoms of this disease can appear even after 7 years.
Symptoms of Rabies
The symptoms of rabies start appearing a few days after the bite of an infected animal. Its major symptoms include:
Fever Anxiety and restlessness Itching and tingling at the bite site Nervous system symptoms such as hyperactivity or paralysis
WHO takes steps to prevent rabies
Rabies is a global health problem, mainly spread in regions such as Asia and Africa. The disease is found in more than 150 countries and causes thousands of deaths each year. 40% of these deaths are related to children under the age of 15. It is a zoonotic disease, which means it spreads from animals to humans.
99% of human rabies cases are caused by dog bites. The disease is preventable through dog vaccination. If a person is bitten or scratched by an infected animal, he or she should immediately seek help for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP includes:
Washing the wound thoroughly Taking a course of human rabies vaccine Taking rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) if needed
Rabies treatment
Once rabies symptoms appear after it reaches the nervous system, the disease is difficult to prevent and is fatal in almost 100% of cases. However, if PEP is given on time, it can prevent deaths due to rabies.
Objective of WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners aim to eliminate human deaths from dog bite rabies through mass vaccination of dogs, ensuring access to PEP, training of health workers, improved surveillance and community awareness.
The most important thing to avoid rabies is that if someone is bitten or scratched by an infected animal, one should immediately contact a doctor and take the PEP procedure. This can stop the disease before it reaches the nervous system.
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