Facts About Rabies

What is Rabies? Rabies is an acute viral disease of the nervous system of a warm blooded animals such as rodents, fax, cattle, bats, skunks, wolf, cats and dogs. This virus is common to most mammals and can be transmitted to humans through a bite but can also occur through the exposure of open wounds or scratch and mucus membranes such as eyes and mouth from the saliva of the infected animal. This viral disease is known worldwide.

Once bitten by an infected animal, the virus will travel along the peripheral nerves of the nervous system to the brain. Once established in the brain, the result could be fatal. It usually has an incubation period of 20 to 90 days depending on several factors such as:

* Age of the victim (the younger, the faster the incubation period)
* Location of the bite (the more near the head, the faster it will reach the brain)
* Severity of the bite (many bites means the more faster the incubation period)

Symptoms of rabies disease occurs primarily when the animal appears to present different behaviors. This includes becoming more aggressive, sensitive to touch and combative. This behaviors can be seen on vicious and mad dogs however, it can occur to any domesticated animals infected with rabies.

However, some animal symptoms possess an opposite qualities and is commonly called as "dumb" form of rabies symptoms for animals. A dumb form possess weaker and lethargic animal. Can move its head and less noisy because of the paralyzed throat and neck.

Human symptoms includes headache, malaise, loss of appetite, fatigue, numbness and itchiness of the bite area, depression, insomnia and fever. These mild symptoms occurs within the incubation period of 10 to 20 days. After that, nervous system damage becomes visible such as hypersensitivity, hyperactivity, hallucinations, seizures and paralysis. Death can follow after a cardiac or respiratory arrest or some other disease complications.
There is one way to prevent rabies virus to infect humans. For domestic animals like dogs and cats, vaccination is the key to prevent any possibility of infection especially that this animals have close contact with humans. Rural animals such as skunks and rodents has less cases of rabies infection.

For humans, immunization vaccines are available at any local hospital. Children must be vaccinated with rabies immunization since they are the most prone in any animal attack. Immunization must be administered by a physician.

Once bitten by an infected animal such as dog, first thing that you should do is to clean the wound by clean water and anti-bacterial soap then seek medical attention immediately. A rabies vaccine treatment should be performed as soon as possible after exposure. The vaccination will be repeated several times to complete the treatment.

Others are encouraged to get a rabies immunization to prevent this disease. This vaccine helps the immune system to repel the virus effectively from invading your nervous system so its is very essential to get vaccinated.

To learn more about rabies and its effects to humans and your pets, consult your local medical centers and veterinarian clinics near you. Remember that it is better to be protected against this deadly virus than succumb to its fatal effects.

Source : enzine

0 komentar:

Posting Komentar