World Rabies Day
September 28 is celebrated as World Rabies Day, recognized by the United Nations since 2007. The date was chosen because it is the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
Rabies is a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, casued by a virus. It causes inflammation of the brain and eventually lead to death.
Rabies is also known to be present in more than 150 countries and territories of all continents, except Antarctica. Since it is wide-spread, rabies potentially threatens over 3 billion people in Asia and Africa. This is because most people live in rural areas with very limited or definitely no access to human vaccines. Thus, makes these people prone to rabies.
Though rabies is a 100% preventable disease, there is no way to stop or hamper the progression of the disease once it has began. Effective vaccination is needed to counter the threat of rabies.
Warm-blooded species can be infected with rabies. This includes dogs, cats, bats, monkeys, raccoons, foxes, skunks, cattle, wolves, humans, and more. Rabies is usually present in the nerves and saliva of infected species. Rabies is transmitted usually, but not always, by a bite.
Symptoms of rabies do not show immediately, that's why a vaccination must be taken within 24 to 48 hours. Initially, rabies symptoms feels like influenza, having fever and tingling at the bite. After a few days, an infected person may become vey aggressive, sometimes attack even without provocation, and shows uncharacteristic behaviour. They also develop fear of water or hydrophobia, paralysis of the body, the inability to consume food, confusion, hallucinations, loss of consciousness and the urge to bite others too. Sadly, the end is always death. Only few can managed to escape death, especially if not vaccinated right away.
Wounds or bites must be immediately wash thoroughly with soap and water to reduce the threat of infection. It is also necessary that the victim be rushed to a clinic or hospital for the vaccination of anti-rabies. Doctors and nurses ususally checks first the bite and then decides which treatment to be administered. This is known as Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. Aside from anti-rabies, a tetanus shot and antibiotics may also be given to the victim.
Most people side effects like pain, swelling, redness or itching. Others feel headcahe, nausea, abdominal pain and dizziness. But there are nothing to worry about these side effects.
Jeanna Giese, an American teenager, was the first to survived the infection fo rabies without being vaccinated. She was treated to what was known as the Milwaukee protocol. Giese was put to coma and given mixture of ketamine and midazolam to suppress her brain activity. She was also given the antiviral drugs ribavirin and amantadine, while waiting for her immune system to produce the antibodies that will attack the virus. Giese became the first person to cured of rabies.
Until the best cure is developed, it is still best to take precautions to avoid animal bites. And it is also best to seek the immediate and appropriate treatment rightaway if animal bites occur.
Published at: 09/30/2014
