Sep 26, 2023 – World Rabies Day, observed annually on September 28, aims to raise awareness about one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases: rabies. This deadly viral infection can be transmitted to humans and animals through the saliva of infected animals, most commonly via bites. Immediate vaccination is crucial after potential exposure, as rabies becomes fatal once symptoms manifest. Symptoms initially include fever and headaches and progress to hallucinations, confusion, hydrophobia (fear of water), paralysis, and eventually coma. Handling or feeding wild animals or pets like dogs and cats requires caution. Vaccinating your pets is equally important to protect them and, in turn, safeguard yourself.
Dr. Aniket Mule, consultant internal medicine at Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, emphasizes, “Rabies is a deadly viral infection that affects humans and animals, transmitted primarily through the saliva of infected animals, typically via bites. Unfortunately, once clinical symptoms manifest, rabies is almost invariably fatal, and there is no known cure for it.”
Stages of Rabies Infection in Humans
The progression of rabies in humans follows distinct stages, leading to severe complications and respiratory failure:
- Incubation Period: This period can vary from days to years and marks the time between initial infection and symptom onset.
- Prodromal Phase: Early flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and discomfort at the wound site characterize this phase. It lasts only a few days.
- Acute Neurologic Phase: This is the most severe stage. Patients exhibit symptoms like confusion, hallucinations, agitation, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Paralysis often follows.
Dr. Mule notes that once neurologic symptoms surface, rabies becomes virtually incurable, with death as the inevitable outcome.
The Final Stage of Rabies
In the final stage of rabies, victims may fall into a coma, eventually succumbing to respiratory failure. To combat rabies and save lives, preventative measures, including immediate vaccination after potential exposure, remain the most effective approach. Regions where rabies is prevalent require vigilance and swift action to proactively prevent this deadly disease.