Rabies Research
Definition
Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals. The rabies virus is usually transmitted
through a bite. Animals most likely to transmit rabies in the United States include bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and
skunks. In developing countries of Africa and Southeast Asia, stray dogs are the most likely to spread rabies to people.
Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. For that reason, anyone
who may have a risk of contracting rabies should receive rabies vaccines for protection.
Symptoms
Rabies doesn't cause any signs or symptoms until late in the disease, often just days before death. Signs and symptoms
may include:
 Fever
 Headache
 Agitation
 Anxiety
 Confusion
 Difficulty swallowing
 Excessive salivation
 Fear of water (hydrophobia) because of the difficulty in swallowing
 Hallucinations
 Insomnia
 Partial paralysis
Causes
Rabies infection is caused by the rabies virus. The virus is spread through the saliva of infected animals. Infected animals
can spread the virus by biting another animal or a person. In rare cases, rabies can be spread when infected saliva gets
into an open wound or the mucous membranes, such as the mouth or eyes. This could occur if an infected animal were
to lick an open cut on your skin. Any mammal can transmit the rabies virus. The animals most likely to transmit the
rabies virus to people include:
 Pets and farm animals, Cats, Cows, Dogs, Ferrets, Goats, Horses, Rabbits, Wild animals, Bats, Beavers, Coyotes,
Foxes, Monkeys, Raccoons, Skunks, and Woodchucks
There has never been a documented case of human-to-human rabies transmission. In rare cases, the virus has been
transmitted to tissue and organ transplant recipients from an infected organ.
Treatments and drugs
There is no specific treatment for rabies infection. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease is
usually fatal. For that reason, anyone thought to have been exposed to rabies receives a series of shots to prevent the
infection from taking hold.
Treatment for people bitten by animals with rabies
If you've been bitten by an animal that is known to have rabies, you'll receive a series of shots to prevent the rabies virus
from infecting you. If the animal that bit you can't be found, it may be safest to assume that the animal has rabies. But
this will depend on several factors, such as the type of animal and the situation in which the bite occurred.
Rabies shots include:
A fast-acting shot (rabies immune globulin) to prevent the virus from infecting you. Part of this injection is given near the
area where the animal bit you if possible, as soon as possible after the bite.
A series of rabies vaccines to help your body learn to identify and fight the rabies virus. Rabies vaccines are given as
injections in your arm. You receive five injections over 14 days.
Prevention
You can reduce your risk of coming in contact with rabid animals. Here's how:
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Vaccinate your pets. Cats, dogs and ferrets can be vaccinated against rabies. Ask your veterinarian how often
your pets should be vaccinated.
Keep your pets confined. Keep your pets inside and supervise them when outside. This will help keep your pets
from coming in contact with wild animals.
Protect small pets from predators. Keep rabbits and other small pets, such as guinea pigs, inside or in protected
cages so that they are safe from wild animals. These small pets can't be vaccinated against rabies.
Report stray animals to local authorities. Call your local animal control officials or other local law enforcement to
report stray dogs and cats.
Don't approach wild animals. Wild animals with rabies may seem unafraid of people. It's not normal for a wild
animal to be friendly with people, so stay away from any animal that seems unafraid.
Keep bats out of your home. Seal any cracks and gaps where bats can enter your home. If you know you have
bats in your home, work with a local expert to find ways to keep bats out.
Consider the rabies vaccine if you're traveling. If you're traveling to a country where rabies is common and you'll
be there for a long period of time, ask your doctor whether you should receive the rabies vaccine.
Rabies around the World
Customarily, the level of international resources committed to the control of an infectious disease is a
response to the associated human morbidity and mortality. For most infectious diseases, these data
adequately reflect the deserved public health attention.
It is difficult, however, to estimate the global impact of rabies by using only human mortality data. Because
vaccines to prevent human rabies have been available for more than 100 years, most deaths from rabies occur
in countries with inadequate public health resources and limited access to preventive treatment. These
countries also have few diagnostic facilities and almost no rabies surveillance.
Underreporting is a characteristic of almost every infectious disease in developing countries, and increasing
the estimated human mortality does not in itself increase the relative public health importance of rabies.
There is, however, one often neglected aspect of rabies that does affect perception of its importance.
Rabies is not, in the natural sense, a disease of humans. Human infection is incidental to the reservoir of
disease in wild and domestic animals; therefore, a more accurate projection of the impact of rabies on public
health should include an estimate of the extent to which the animal population is affected and the expense
involved in preventing transmission of rabies from animals to humans.
An additional figure is needed to complete the global picture of rabies. The best estimates of the impact of
rabies on a country and the public health resources available within that country for rabies control are found
in data for the number and distribution of cases of rabies in domestic animals. Despite evidence that control
of dog rabies through programs of animal vaccination and elimination of stray dogs can reduce the incidence
of human rabies, exposure to rabid dogs is still the cause of over 90% of human exposures to rabies and of
over 99% of human deaths worldwide.
The cost of these programs prohibits their full implementation in much of the developing world, and in even
the most prosperous countries the cost of an effective dog rabies control program is a drain on public health
resources. The estimated annual expenditure for rabies prevention in the United States is over US$300 million,
most of which is spent on dog vaccinations.
An annual turnover of approximately 25% in the dog population necessitates revaccination of millions of
animals each year, and reintroduction of rabies through transport of infected animals from outside a
controlled area is always a possibility should control programs lapse. Reservoirs of wildlife rabies, virtually
unknown in Asia and tropical regions, are also potential sources of rabies infection for dogs in Europe and
North America.