Signs And Symptoms
In most cases of rabies, symptoms first appear one to three months after infection with the virus. Early symptoms are often similar to those seen with the flu and may include fever, headache, and general tiredness. In addition, the infected person may experience discomfort, numbness, or pain at the site of the bite. Progressive symptoms of rabies can include such things as insomnia, slight or partial paralysis, hallucinations, and hydrophobia (fear of water). When a person is infected with the rabies virus, the virus multiplies within the body until symptoms develop. This time period between infection and the onset of symptoms is called the incubation period. The rabies incubation period may vary from a few days to several years, but is typically one to three months.
When the rabies virus reaches the brain, it multiplies quickly and rabies symptoms begin. Over the next week, the rabies virus causesencephalitis and ultimately death. 1.Early Symptoms of Rabies
2.Progressive Rabies SymptomsAs the disease progresses, neurological symptoms appear and may include:
Reference:- http://rabies.emedtv.com/rabies/rabies-symptoms.html 3.Final Thoughts on Rabies Symptoms If you believe that you have been exposed to rabies, seek medical attention immediately. A rabies treatment is available, but must be administered before symptoms of rabies appear. If the symptoms of rabies develop, there is no cure for the disease. Death usually occurs within days of the onset of symptoms. If you believe that you have been exposed to rabies, seek medical attention immediately. A rabies treatment is available, but must be administered before symptoms of rabies appear. If the symptoms of rabies develop, there is no cure for the disease. Death usually occurs within days of the onset of symptoms. Reference:-http://rabies.emedtv.com/rabies/rabies-symptoms-p2.html Clinical signs in animals All animals exhibit certain neurological signs as a result of rabies. From species to species these symptoms may differ slightly. Prodromal stage: After a certain incubation period, the onset of clinical symtoms follows. During this first stage which usually lasts for about 1-3 days minor behavioural changes might occur, i.g agressiveness in tame animals, daytime activities in nocturnal animals, no fear of humans in wild animals or abnormalities in appetite. Excitative (furious) phase: Eventually, the prodromal stage is follwed by a period of severe agitation and agressiveness. The animal often bites any material. Rabid dogs, for example, may develop a typical high barking sound during furious rabies. Death may follow convulsions even without the paralytic stage of the disease. Paralytic (dumb) phase: This stage is characterized by the inability to swallow, leading to a typical sign of foaming saliva around the mouth. Some animals may develop paralysis beginning at the hind extremities. Eventually, complete paralysis is followed by death. Clinical signs in humans It is very difficult to differentiate rabies in humans from other diseases by clinical examination. In rabies-endemic countries rabies should always be suspected when neurological symptoms follow an animal bite. After the incubation period a 2–10 days prodromal period of nonspecific symptoms is followed. The first clinical symptom is usually neuropathic pain at the wound site. Further symptoms which may include tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite, headache, fever and other aches suggest involvement of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and/or central nervous systems. During the acute stage of the disease two different forms may occur. Furious rabies is characterized by hydrophobia or aerophobia, hyperactivity and fluctuating consciousness. Paralytic rabies runs a less dramatic course, but the final outcome is the same. Rabies is inevitably fatal and death occurs during the first seven days of illness without intensive care due to respiratory failure. |