Rabies:

Definition,
Symptoms, and
Cure
PRESENTED BY:
JENNY CAPILI
SEAN RUSSEL CERILLO
CHINO DETRUZ
ROJAN RECIO
 Objectives
DEFINE RABIES AND EXPLAIN HOW
IT IS TRANSMITTED.

IDENTIFY THE COMMON SIGNS AND

SYMPTOMS OF RABIES IN HUMANS
AND ANIMALS.

PRACTICE HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAN

AND TREAT A BITE WOUND AFTER
POTENTIAL RABIES EXPOSURE.

DEVELOP A SENSE OF
RESPONSIBILITY FOR RABIES
PREVENTION, INCLUDING PROPER
ANIMAL VACCINATION AND
AVOIDING RISKY ANIMAL
ENCOUNTERS.
 Introduction
Rabies is a preventable viral disease
commonly transferred through the
bite of a rabid animal. Dogs are the
principal source of human rabies
mortality, contributing up to 99% of
all rabies transmissions to humans.
The rabies virus infects the central
nervous system of mammals,
eventually causing infection in the
brain and death.
What is Rabies?
RABIES IS A FATAL BUT PREVENTABLE
VIRAL DISEASE THAT PRIMARILY AFFECTS
THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS).

THE WORD "RABIES" COMES FROM THE

LATIN WORD MEANING "TO RAGE."

THE FATAL MADNESS OF RABIES HAS

BEEN DESCRIBED THROUGHOUT
RECORDED HISTORY, AND ITS
ASSOCIATION WITH RABID CANINES IS
WELL KNOWN.
RABIES IS A FATAL BUT PREVENTABLE
VIRAL DISEASE THAT PRIMARILY AFFECTS
THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS).

THE WORD "RABIES" COMES FROM THE

LATIN WORD MEANING "TO RAGE."

THE FATAL MADNESS OF RABIES HAS

BEEN DESCRIBED THROUGHOUT
RECORDED HISTORY, AND ITS
ASSOCIATION WITH RABID CANINES IS
WELL KNOWN.
IN THE 19TH CENTURY, PASTEUR
DEVELOPED A VACCINE THAT
SUCCESSFULLY PREVENTED RABIES
AFTER INOCULATION AND LAUNCHED A
NEW ERA OF HOPE IN THE MANAGEMENT
OF THIS UNIFORMLY FATAL DISEASE.

IT CAN SPREAD TO PEOPLE AND PETS IF

THEY ARE BITTEN OR SCRATCHED BY A
RABID ANIMAL.

if a person does not receive the

appropriate medical care after a
potential rabies exposure, the virus can
cause disease in the brain, ultimately
resulting in death.
 Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology has been best characterized in canine
rabies variants.

An animal is bitten by a rabid animal.

Rabies virus from the infected saliva
enters the wound.
Rabies virus travels through the nerves to
the spinal cord and brain. This process can
last approximately 3 to 12 weeks. The
animal has no signs of illness during this
time.
Etiology
Rabies is caused by a neurotropic virus of the family
Rhabdoviridae, genus Lyssavirus, subgroup rabies virus.

Other animal reservoirs for rables in the US include foxes,

bats, skunks, and raccoons. Image via: CDC
 Transmission
The virus is commonly
transmitted via saliva that
contaminates bites,
scratches, and wounds, and,
recently, via mucosal
exposure.
 Animals
Animal species that present the
highest transmission risk to humans
Include canines (dogs, foxes,
coyotes), cats, raccoons, and bats; in
the case of bats, exposure may go
unrecognized by a sleeping
individual; thus, postexposure
prophylaxis (PEP) is recommended
whenever a bat is discovered in the
room of a sleeping or incapacitated
person.
 Statistics and Incidences
Each year, rabies causes approximately 59,000 deaths
worldwide.
Dog rabies remains common in many
countries and exposure to rabid dogs is
still the cause of over 90% of human
exposures to rabies and of 99% of human
rabies deaths worldwide.
The largest number of human deaths
annually was recorded during the first half
of the 20th century, with an average of 50
documented cases per year.
Statistics and Incidences
Encounters with rabid animal vectors may
be Increased in males, who may have
greater contact in certain geographic
areas.; evidence to support this is found in
data on dog bites, which are observed
more frequently in males than in females.

From 1960 to 2018, a total of 125 human

rables cases were reported in the United
States, with roughly a quarter resulting
from
Statistics and Incidences

dog bites during international

travel.
Of the infections acquired in the
United States, 70% were attributed
to bats.
Can rabies be
eliminated?
The good news is that rabies is 100%
preventable. The tools and science to
end the extensive suffering, loss of life,
and financial burden of rabies already
exist. These include an effective
vaccine for dogs (to stop the disease at
the source), as well as effective
preventative treatments for people
when they are exposed (human
vaccines and other biologics).
What can I do to
eliminate rabies?
People with dogs or cats can ensure
that those animals are vaccinated
against rabies and that the
vaccinations are kept up to date.
This is the best way to prevent
rabies in your family and community,
and it also helps to eliminate the
disease.
Anyone can help raise awareness
about rabies amongst their family
and all of their friends. Join in on
World Rabies Day which is
celebrated every September
28th or take to social media and
educate others by sharing resources
and facts about rabies. GARC has
designed the Rabies Educator
Certificate – a free, online certificate
course – that helps you learn how to
educate others about rabies.
Human Rabies
Prevention
Rabies is 99% fatal once symptoms appear. However, rabies is still
100% preventable.
BITE PREVENTION

The best way to avoid rabies is to avoid being bitten by an

unknown animal or animal whose rabies vaccination status is
unknown, especially a dog. It is for this reason that a lot of our
education materials are based on dog bite prevention. If people
are not bitten by dogs, then we can significantly reduce the
number of human rabies deaths globally. You can learn more about
our bite prevention education materials with the button below.
Rabies Post-exposure
Prophylaxis
RABIES POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS

If you do get bitten (or licked or scratched) by an unknown animal,

you need to seek medical treatment immediately and receive post-
exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This is irrespective of the severity of
the wound, as even the tiniest scratch that breaks your skin can
result in rabies infection as the virus enters your body. Rather
leave it up to a trained medical professional to determine whether
you are at risk of rabies infection or not.
RABIES POST-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS

Rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) consists of three critical

steps to ensure that you remain safe and prevent unnecessary
deaths from rabies:
 Step 1:
You need to immediately and
rigorously wash the area where
you were exposed (typically a
bite wound from a dog) with soap
and running water for up to 15
minutes. This will help to flush
the virus particles out of the
wound, reducing your likelihood
of infection. However, this alone
is not enough.
 Step 2:
Immediately seek professional
medical attention at your nearest
health facility. Be sure to mention that
you were exposed to an unknown or
unvaccinated animal and you are
concerned about rabies. The health
professional should do a risk
assessment based on their professional
knowledge to determine whether you
require a vaccine or special rabies
antibodies (called rabies
immunoglobulin, also known as RIG) to
help you fight the infection.
 Step 3:
If the medical professional
deems it necessary to provide you
with a course of vaccinations (and
possibly RIG), you must be sure to
complete the full course of
vaccinations. This means that you
will need to return to the health
facility to receive additional
vaccinations. This is critical as only
one vaccination is not enough to
ensure your safety.
Signs and Symptoms of
Rabies
RABIES INFECTION AND PROGNOSIS

Following exposure to the virus, the onset of symptoms can take

anywhere from a few days to over a year to occur, with the
average time being 1 to 12 weeks in people. The time taken
depends on how long it takes the virus to travel from the wound
site to the brain, which is when symptoms begin. This is based on
several factors, including where the infection occurred (distance
from brain), how much of the virus entered the body, and the size
of the infected individual (or animal). Therefore, if a large man was
bitten on the foot, the time to onset of symptoms may be longer
than if a small child was bitten on the face.
RABIES INFECTION AND PROGNOSIS

Following exposure to the virus, the onset of symptoms can take

anywhere from a few days to over a year to occur, with the
average time being 1 to 12 weeks in people. The time taken
depends on how long it takes the virus to travel from the wound
site to the brain, which is when symptoms begin. This is based on
several factors, including where the infection occurred (distance
from brain), how much of the virus entered the body, and the size
of the infected individual (or animal). Therefore, if a large man was
bitten on the foot, the time to onset of symptoms may be longer
than if a small child was bitten on the face.
Rabies Symptoms

Rabies symptoms in
people

Signs of rabies in
animals
 The initial symptoms of rabies are
similar to those of the flu - fever,
headache, and generally feeling
unwell. As the disease progresses, the
person can experience delirium,
Rabies abnormal behavior, and
symptoms in hallucinations, as well as the
people infamous hydrophobia and foaming at
the mouth (related to the paralysis of
swallowing muscles). It is important to
note however, that rabies symptoms
can vary greatly, meaning that not
every person will demonstrate all (or
even many) of the typical symptoms.
 Rabies signs in animals are similar,
with a change in behavior (either an
aggressive or wild animal becoming
Signs of rabies in tame and calm, or a calm animal
animals
becoming aggressive), paralysis or
partial paralysis in many cases,
abnormal vocalization (dogs barking
strangely), animals attacking
inanimate objects (like biting rocks or
trees), hydrophobia and foaming at
the mouth, among others.
 Summary
Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease that primarily affects
the central nervous system, most commonly transmitted through
bites or scratches from infected animals, especially dogs. The virus
travels to the brain, causing severe neurological symptoms like
delirium, paralysis, and hydrophobia, ultimately leading to death if
untreated. Immediate medical care, including post-exposure
prophylaxis (PEP), can prevent the disease if administered soon
after exposure. Rabies is 100% preventable through animal
vaccination and public education, with global efforts focusing on
reducing transmission through dog vaccination programs and
awareness campaigns like World Rabies Day. Despite being a major
public health issue, rabies-related deaths can be significantly
reduced with proper prevention, treatment, and awareness.
Thank you for
listening!
DON'T HESITATE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS!
 References:
https://www.scribd.com/document/463339568/Rabies

https://rabiesalliance.org/about/about-rabies/can-rabies-be-
eliminated

https://rabiesalliance.org/about/about-rabies/signs-and-
symptoms-rabies