Rabies

Recommended for people who travel.

The rabies virus belongs to a group of viruses called lyssaviruses, which can infect mammals.

Virus is passed on to humans through an infected animal's saliva.

It can spread to humans from infected animals through a bite, scratch, or a lick to broken skin.

The disease has largely been eliminated from the animal population in the UK, and infections in the UK are almost always picked up during travel abroad.

The initial symptoms of rabies are mild, but they quickly become serious. 

The incubation period is usually 2-12 weeks.

The closer the site of the infection is to your brain, the shorter the incubation period.

The length of the incubation period is important becauase it is the only time in which treatment can be successful.

Initial symptoms:

• High temperature
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Problems sleeping

Two types of advanced rabies:

• Furious rabies
• Dumb or paralytic rabies.

Is characterised by episodes of increasingly odd and hyperactive behaviour, followed by periods of relative calm. During an episode a person may have the following symptoms:

• aggessive behaviour
• agitation
• hallucinations
• delusions
• excessive production of saliva

People with furious rabies may also develop hydrophobia (a fear or water). 

A few days after these symptoms develop, the affected person will fall into a coma and die, usually as a result of heart or lung failure.

Characterised by muscle weakness, loss of sensation and paralysis. Usually begins in the hands and feet before spreading throughout the body.

As with furious rabies, someone with dumb rabies will fall into a coma and eventually die from heart or lund failure.

Once it enters the body, the rabies virus mulitiplies before spreading into nerve endings. It then travels to the spinal cord and brain. Once the virus is in the CNS, it will spread to the salivary glands, lungs, kindneys and other organs. At this point, treatment is about keepuing you comfortable as this stage of rabies is usually always fatal.

The vaccination is reccomended for:

• people travelling to an area for one month or more where rabies is common in animals.
• people travelling to an area where rabies is common and carrying out activites that expose them to rabies.
• People working abroad in close contact with animels.

Two rabies vaccinations are available in the UK. They usually require a course of three doses for protection. The second dose is given 7 days after the first. The third is given 21-28 days after the first. 

Vaccination should be completed before departure to allow the body to develop full immunity.

Pregnant women are advised to avoid rabirs vaccinations. 

After having the rabies vaccine, some people experience tempoary soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site for 24-48 hours after the vaccination. In rare cases, some people may also have:

• a mild fever
• headache
• muscle aches
• vomitting 
• a rash
• Severe reactions are rare.