What Is Rabies? Is It Treatable?

Rabies is a disease that can be prevented at nearly 100% through wound care, vaccination, and protective serum administered after exposure, yet causes nearly 100% mortality if preventive measures are not taken. Dr. Servet Öztürk, Specialist in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology at Istanbul Okan University Hospital, provided important remarks.   [caption id="attachment_146483" align="aligncenter"] Dr. Servet Öztürk, Specialist in Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology[/caption]

What is rabies?

Throughout human history, encephalitis (brain infection) related to animal bites has long been documented. In the 19th century, Pasteur's discovery of the rabies virus and its vaccine can be considered the beginning of a new era in infectious diseases and vaccination. Rabies typically occurs as a result of a bite, or rarely a scratch, from a wild or domestic animal carrying the rabies virus in its saliva. The virus invades tissues through open wounds, then travels along nerves and eventually settles in the brain. Once established in the brain, the virus causes brain dysfunction leading to death.  

When do symptoms appear?

In rabies, the time between exposure and symptom onset is directly proportional to the distance of the bite site from the brain. For example, in someone bitten on the foot, symptoms may take 1-2 months to develop, while bites to the head and neck region may show symptoms within days. Immediately following a bite, wound cleansing with abundant soapy water, vaccination, and protective immunoglobulin administration result in virtually no risk of disease development. However, after exposure to a rabies case (scratching, biting), failure to apply the protective measures mentioned above makes death nearly inevitable.  

What should individuals who have had contact do?

High-risk rabies exposure can be defined as bites and scratches from wild or domestic animals whose rabies vaccination status cannot be verified. Individuals exposed to high-risk rabies contact should first wash their wound for 5-10 minutes with abundant water and soap. This procedure will remove the virus from the wound, or at minimum reduce its quantity. Ideally, patients with high-risk rabies exposure should seek medical care as soon as possible for wound care, rabies and tetanus prophylaxis. The sooner this occurs, the more effective the administered treatments will be.  

Do not neglect your animals' rabies vaccination

It must be remembered that rabies is a disease that can be prevented at nearly 100% through wound care, vaccination, and protective serum administered after exposure, yet causes nearly 100% mortality if preventive measures are not taken. Vaccines, as in rabies disease, are among the most cost-effective and beneficial medical procedures for human and public health. Approximately 200 years ago, average human life expectancy was 30 years, whereas today it has exceeded 80 years. The greatest contribution to this increase can be attributed to the widespread and proper use of vaccines. Discuss your vaccination needs with your physician, sharing your risks such as age, underlying disease, and international travel.