The Rabies

Rabies remains a widespread disease worldwide, responsible for tens of thousands of deaths each year. It is most often transmitted by dogs. In Europe, bats, which harbor different viruses from dogs or foxes, are particularly monitored. Rabies can be prevented effectively by vaccination but is always fatal once the first signs of the disease are declared.

Symptoms :

The rabies virus is neurotropic: it infects the nervous system and affects its functioning.

It does not cause physically visible lesions in the brain but disrupts neurons, especially those that regulate rhythmic functioning such as cardiac activity or breathing. After a few days to a few months of incubation, the affected individual develops a table of encephalitis. The symptomatic phase often starts with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) and various neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and agitation. Hydrophobia is sometimes present. The evolution is towards coma and death (often by respiratory arrest) in a few days to a few weeks. The outcome is always fatal when the disease is declared.

Treatment :

Preventive treatment of rabies following exposure begins with nonspecific treatment: wound cleansing, antisepsis (antibiotherapy and tetanus immunity control are also recommended following a bite). Post-exposure prophylaxis per se includes vaccination and antirabies in some cases, and should be done as soon as possible after exposure, before the onset of the first symptoms, which is inexorably fatal. This prophylaxis consists of 4 or 5 intramuscular injections distributed over a month and is well tolerated.

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