Rabies Virus Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

What Is Rabies Virus ?

Rabies virus is a very life-threatening virus and it spread to people from the infected animals’ saliva. Usually, this virus is transmitted after animal bite.

In US, the most common animals to transmit this rabies virus are: skunks, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and bats. Whereas, in developing nations namely: Africa and South-East Asia, most probably stray dogs are spreading rabies to people.

If a person starts showing symptoms of rabies virus, the condition is fatal always. Due to this reason, someone having an increased risk of developing rabies should take rabies vaccines to protect from fatal situations.

What Are The Symptoms Of Rabies Virus ?

At first, the rabies virus symptoms are like the signs of flu and last for several days. The symptoms are:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Headache
• Agitation
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Hallucinations
• Confusion
• Difficulty swallowing
• Hyperactivity
• Increased salivation
• Hydrophobia because of the swallowing difficulty
• Paralysis
• Insomnia

What Are The Causes Of Rabies Virus ?

Rabies virus further causes rabies infection. This virus spreads through the infected animal saliva. When an infected animal bite another person or animal, the infection starts spreading. In certain cases, this virus can transmit when infected saliva of an infected animal reaches mucous membranes or an open wound, such as the eyes or mouth. Even, if an infected animal lick the cut or open wound present on the skin.

Animals that can transmit the rabies virus:

All mammals can spread this virus “Rabies”. The below mentioned are the animals having more chances to transmit the rabies virus to people:

Farm animals or Pets:

• Cows
• Cats
• Horses
• Dogs
• Goats
• Ferrets

Wild animals

• Beavers
• Bats
• Coyotes
• Monkeys
• Foxes
• Raccoons
• Woodchucks
• Skunks

In some cases, this virus is transmitted to organ and tissue transplant receivers from already infected organ.

How Rabies Virus Is Diagnosis ?

Sometimes, a diseased animal bites you, there is no way out for this or to know whether the virus from animal has been transmitted or not. Due to this, treatment is done to prevent the spreading of virus inside your body.

How Rabies Virus Is Treatment ?

It is recommended to have a treatment if a doctor thinks that a person was potentially exposed to diseased animal. Generally, the pathway is to find out post-exposure prophylaxis (that is known as protective treatment) for this virus and it requires the below mentioned information:

• Bite Incident: Did an animal bite you? Where and when did the animal bite you?
• No bite incident: Did the infected animal’s saliva touch a mucous membrane or open cut?
• Risk Factors associated with animal.
• Bats: is there any contact with a bat which can further leads to a bite, scratch, or exposure of mucous membrane to saliva, want to be estimated. If there is a prolonged contact with a bat, then it is important to consider post-exposure prophylaxis.

There is a complete range of injections to treat rabies virus. The rabies immune globulin is a first injection that assists to stop the spreading of virus.

By : Natural Health News