2. What is Rabies?¿ Rabies is a virus that is usually spread through an infected animal’s saliva It is an RNA virus that is from a family of viruses called Rhabdoviruses It attacks the central nervous system Can cause death if not treated before symptoms begin
3. How can you get it?¿ It is caused by biting, non-bite exposure, or human-to-human transmission May also get it if you handle certain animals (usually bats) and become scratched or inhale the virus Most common species to spread the virus are bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes. People in other countries most commonly get infected by dogs.
4. Who gets Rabies?¿ All mammals are able to be infected with the rabies virus Animals such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish do not get or transmit the virus
5. Rabies The incubation period before symptoms begin can vary from several weeks to several months Early symptoms for humans include irritability, headache, fever, and itching or pain at site of exposure With days the disease can progress to paralysis, spasms of throat muscles, convulsions, delirium and death
6. Rabies Rabies is difficult to diagnose in humans because symptoms are similar to other diseases To be 100% sure an animal has rabies is to euthanize it and then perform a direct fluorescent antibody test on the brain tissue Rabies is acute, once you have it once you can not get it again because you will have the vaccine
7. Rabies Rabies can be prevented with the vaccine If you are infected with rabies and you get the treatment early, you are fine If you become infected and you are not treated then symptoms can progress and you can die
