Rabies is a serious viral disease seen in mammals that adversely affects the central nervous system, leading to death. Rabies is a zoonotic disease that is typically transmitted through bites from infected animals. The majority of reported cases involve wild animals like bats, raccoons and skunks, but domesticated animals like dogs and cats are also at risk. Humans are equally susceptible to the rabies virus if bitten by an infected animal. Once the symptoms have appeared, Rabies is nearly always fatal. Death usually occurs less than a week after the onset of signs.
Rabies Tranmission
Rabies transmission can occur in one of a few ways, including:
- Bites
- Non-bite exposure
A bite from a rabid animal (an animal infected with the rabies virus) is the most common form of rabies transmission. Non-bite exposure and human-to-human exposure are both rare.
Rabies Transmission From Bites
Rabies transmission usually begins when infected saliva of an animal is passed to an uninfected animal, through a bite. From the saliva's point of entry, the rabies virus travels along nerve cells to the brain. It multiplies there and moves to the salivary glands. In a rabid animal, the cycle is repeated when the animal bites a person or another animal.
Rabies Transmission Through Non-Bite Exposure
Rabies transmission from non-bite exposures is rare. Scratches, abrasions, open wounds, or mucous membranes contaminated with saliva or other potentially infectious material (such as brain tissue) from a rabid animal, constitute non-bite exposures. Occasionally reports of non-bite exposure are such that post-exposure prophylaxis is given.
Symptoms of Rabies:
After coming in contact with the virus, the bitten animal may go through one or all of several stages. With most animals, the virus will spread through the nerves of the bitten animal towards the brain. The virus is relatively slow moving and the average time of incubation from exposure to brain involvement is between 3 to 8 weeks in dogs, 2 to 6 weeks in cats, and 3 to 6 weeks in people. However, incubation periods as long as 6 months in dogs and 12 months in people have been reported. After the virus reaches the brain it then will move to the salivary glands where it can be spread through a bite. After the virus reaches the brain the animal will show one, two, or all of the three different phases.
Diagnosing Rabies:
The current way to diagnose rabies in animals is to submit the brain for microscopic examination. Some new testing techniques utilizing skin and or blood samples are being studied and used in a few research settings and show promise as a way of testing potentially exposed humans and animals. They are not routinely being used at this time.
Preventing Rabies
Prevention is key when it comes to rabies. Fortunately, it is also quite simple. First and foremost, dogs and other pets should receive routine rabies vaccines. The traditional rabies vaccine was given yearly, but recent concern regarding possible over-vaccination in pets led to the development of a three-year rabies vaccine. Talk to your vet about your options and find out what the law in your area mandates.
- Make sure dogs, cats, and ferrets are vaccinated against rabies. Keep the vaccinations up to date.
- Obey leash laws, and keep your pets supervised on your property to reduce the chance of exposure to rabies.
- When traveling or visiting wilderness areas, avoid any direct contact with wild animals, especially bats, skunks, raccoons, and foxes. Enjoy wild animals from a distance, even if they seem friendly. If you see an animal acting strangely, notify local health or animal control authorities. Do not try to catch the animal yourself.
- Stay away from wildlife. If any contact occurs or is suspected, get medical advice as soon as possible. Some animal bites are small, and people can be bitten without realizing it (such as when they are asleep).
- If your pet is attacked or bitten by another animal, report the attack to local health or animal control authorities. Be sure your vaccinated pet gets a booster vaccination.
- If a person gets bitten, don't panic. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and lots of water. Get medical help immediately. The person might need preventive treatment. Rabies rarely occurs in humans if preventive treatment is started immediately. Alert animal control authorities so they can try to capture the animal.
- Certain high-risk persons can be vaccinated against rabies. People who should consider being vaccinated include: veterinarians, persons who work with wildlife, laboratory staff who work with the rabies virus, and long-term travelers to areas where rabies is common.
