Warning Signs Of Rabies

Rabies usually occurs due to a bite from a wild mammal such as a raccoon, fox, bat, skunk, or stray dog. The virus spreads through the saliva. Any mammal, including humans, may contract the illness. The disease is preventable even though it is a virus. The damaging virus attacks the central nervous system, causing brain damage and eventually death if the rabies infection is not treated. Initially, the disease exhibits certain flu-like symptoms. If not addressed, rabies symptoms advance to insomnia, anxiety, partial paralysis, hallucinations, excess saliva (drooling), trouble swallowing, and fear of water. The rabid individual dies within days of the last symptoms occurring. Get to know the warning signs now.

Flu-Like Symptoms

The first symptoms of rabies resemble the flu. They include feeling weak or uncomfortable, a fever, and a headache. The area around the bite may itch or feel prickly too. These symptoms last for several days before they move from this early acute period to the more serious, clinical period. The acute time of rabies lasts from two to ten days. It is crucial for a person with suspected rabies to be treated during the initial, or acute, period of the disease. When rabies reaches the more advanced, or clinical, period, the chances of the patient surviving are very limited. So, if a person has recently been bitten by a mammal and starts exhibiting flu-like symptoms, it is imperative to receive medical care as soon as possible.

Keep reading to learn more about detecting rabies.