What Is the Virus of Rabies?

Documentation

The lack of data on the numbers of rabies victims leads many to underestimate the true devastation that the rabies virus can bring, according the World Health Organization. In underdeveloped countries, which have the highest prevalence of rabies cases, the majority of rabies victims contract the virus from dog bites. In North America, human infection is rare, but most rabies cases come from bats.

For animals, a direct fluorescent antibody test (or dFA) is used to determine if the rabies virus is present. This test is performed after an animal is dead. In humans, rabies is diagnosed using several tests and samples from the person's saliva, serum, spinal fluid and hair follicles. In humans, rabies starts with flu-like symptoms progressing to critical-stage rabies, which is marked by agitation, hyperactivity (furious rabies) and/or paralysis (dumb rabies). In some cases, hallucinations, sensitivity to light and fear or irrational behavior around water may be late-stage warning signs.

Because the rabies virus is lethal and symptoms can start with common cold symptoms such as a fever and a feeling of tiredness, it is important to seek medical help immediately after contact to ward off infection. Once later-stage warning signs develop, it is usually too late to treat and is almost always fatal. If you think you may have come into contact with a rabid animal, see a doctor and report the encounter to animal control so they may attempt to quarantine it for observation.

Most human deaths related to the rabies virus occur from a rabid dog bite, according the World Health Organization. Vaccination of young dogs is imperative in helping to prevent the spread of the rabies virus. There is a human rabies vaccine, but it is usually reserved for persons traveling internationally or who have jobs that involve contact with animals.

The rabies virus is a zoonotic virus, meaning it is transmitted from animals to humans. Transmission of rabies virus is through the saliva of an infected animal. This usually occurs from a bite or a scratch from an infected animal. Other forms of transmission have been documented (but are rare), including corneal transplants, cuts or breaks in the skin, mucous membranes and contact with infected brain matter.