Rabies is a viral infection , spread via saliva.If someone presents with rabies symptoms,it is almost
always fatal.In countries where stray dogs are present in large numbers,they are the biggest rabies
threat. Rabies is a life-threatening condition that causes tens of thousands of deaths worldwide every
year. Dogs are the most common source.
Rabies human deaths are estimated to be 50,000 each year. But the actual infected population
may be higher as no global rabies monitoring system exits.
The world health organization (WHO) reports:
99 % of reported annual rabies deaths occur in Asia , Africa and south America.
90% deaths occurs in Asia.
60% deaths occurs in India ; incidence is 3 in 1,00,000 population a year.
Symptoms of rabies
The symptoms of rabies can present themselves just a few days after a bite, or they might take
as long as 12 weeks. Some rare cases report a number of years between the bite and the onset
of symptoms.
The closer the bite is to your brain, the quicker the effects are likely to appear.
If you are bitten by a wild animal, it is essential that you seek medical advice as soon as
possible.
When the initial symptoms of rabies occur, they can be similar to flu and last 2-12 days,
becoming progressively stronger.
From the early flu-like symptoms, the condition worsens and symptoms can include the
following:
●Anxiety
●Fever
●Headache
●Nausea
●Confusion
●Hyperactivity
●Excess salivation
●Fear of water (hydrophobia) due to difficulty in swallowing
●Hallucinations
●Priapism (permanent erection)
●Photophobia
●Nightmares
●Insomnia
●Partial paralysis.
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Reference by: medicalnewstoday/ rarediseasesindia/worldclassgsd.
