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Rabies

Rabies is an invariably fatal viral infection spread by animal bites (eg. dog, cat, bat, monkey, rat), that is found throughout Asia , Europe (except Spain , Italy , Scandinavia and Britain ), Mrica and the Americas , but is not present in Australia and the Pacific. Other forms of the rabies virus have been implicated in rare infections, including a fatal encephalitis that can be caught from infected bats in north-eastern Australia.

The virus responsible is the Lyssavirus, which infects the salivary glands of animals, so that any bite causes the injection of the virus into the victim's wound. The incubation period after a bite is three to seven weeks. If possible, the animal causing the bite should be isolated and observed to see if it is affected. The diagnosis can be confirmed by a specific blood test.

The classic symptom is fear of water (hydrophobia) which is due to the severe pain that swallowing any food or liquid causes as a result of muscle spasm in the throat. Further symptoms include skin pain and tingling, generalised muscle spasms, convulsions, the production of copious amounts of thick saliva and eventually muscle paralysis.

First aid after a bite from a possibly infected animal is thorough washing of the wound with soap and water, then drenching the bite in antiseptic (eg. Betadine). If rabies is suspected it is essential for the patient to receive a rabies vaccine because no treatment is available once symptoms appear, and death occurs within two or three days of symptoms appearing.