Rabies is one of the oldest known infectious diseases, a deadly virus that can spread from the saliva or saliva of an infected animal to humans. It is a disease that usually occurs after animals carrying the virus bite humans and mucosal contact with their saliva. It can be transmitted by many wild animals such as wolves, jackals, jackals, bats and bears, as well as domestic animals such as donkeys, cats and dogs.
The virus, which reaches the brain through the nerves after the bite, takes over the brain, causing the person to fall into a coma, paralysis and then death. People who face the risk of contracting this virus, which is a fatal viral disease, must have a rabies vaccine for protection.
What Causes Rabies? How is it transmitted?
This virus, which has existed for many years, can be transmitted from animal to human and from animal to animal with the saliva or saliva of infected animals. This disease caused by the virus can also spread when it comes into contact with an open wound.
For example, if a person has an open cut on their body and the infected animal licks it. Injuries such as clawing can also lead to the virus.
In some rare cases, the virus can be spread by transporting an infected organ during a tissue or organ transplant. It can also be transmitted when raw meat or milk from an infected animal is consumed.
Many factors can increase the risk of transmission and the likelihood of catching the disease. Since it is most common in African and Southeast Asian countries, living or traveling in these countries can increase the risk of the disease.
The risk of infection is also high in such activities where people on expeditions are at risk of coming into contact with animals carrying the virus. In addition, working with this virus in laboratory environments allows it to reach the brain faster as a result of contact with wounds on the head and neck, and the risk of death is very high.
What are the Symptoms of Rabies?
Symptoms and signs of the disease can continue for a long time, as well as in similar situations with influenza infectious diseases. The occurrence of symptoms can have fatal consequences for humans and animals. After infection with the virus, people develop a number of symptoms and signs.
The symptoms of rabies that can be seen in people after infection with the virus are as follows:
- Headache and fever
- Anxiety and anxiety
- Dilated pupils
- Too much saliva production
- Sensitivity to light
- Tingling in the bitten area
- Paralysis
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sleep problems and inability to sleep
- Difficulty swallowing
- Don't be afraid of water
- Contractions
If a person is bitten by a random animal, he or she should go to the hospital and seek medical help immediately, taking into account the possibility of contracting the virus. In this disease, which can lead to fatal consequences, precautions should be taken against all possibilities and the person should be vaccinated.
How to Prevent Rabies?
People should avoid contact with infected animals and animals at risk in order to reduce and prevent the possibility of contracting this disease. Pets should be vaccinated and the time they spend outside should be controlled as much as possible. Pets can come into contact with any infected animal and can be bitten. Therefore, ensuring controls prevents the risk of developing the disease.
Small pets should be protected from other animals that are predators. People who have small animals such as rabbits or hamsters can keep them in a protected cage where they can live and protect them from wild animals.
Regularly checking the animals living on the streets and making the necessary applications for vaccinations ensures that measures are taken against risk factors that may occur.
Wild animals, which people should stay away from, are the most important factors in the spread of the virus. People should stay away from these animals, which can also transmit the virus between each other, and avoid close encounters that may cause them to be disturbed.
It is possible to prevent the spread of the disease, which can also be transmitted by infected bats, by keeping these animals away from homes.
In addition, individuals who travel frequently should definitely be vaccinated. Especially people traveling to countries where cases are common should get this vaccine and take precautions against possible risks.
How is Rabies Disease Diagnosed?
There is no method for diagnosing the virus to the person bitten by the infected animal. The diagnosis is made by experiencing symptoms in the person. However, the appearance and occurrence of signs and symptoms means that it is too late for the treatment of this disease.
For this reason, if the doctor considers the possibility of this situation, he will use the vaccination method as the appropriate treatment for this disease and will vaccinate the person. Vaccination is mandatory for people who are among the risk factors. It is also mandatory for the person who starts the vaccination process to complete and follow all of the vaccines.
How is Rabies Disease Treated?
There is no treatment in case of infection and transmission of the disease. The number of people who survive this disease is very small. It is possible to prevent this disease, which usually results in death.
If a person thinks that he or she has been in contact with an animal or has been bitten, he or she should have a series of vaccinations to prevent the infection from settling in the body and spreading.
Anyone who has been bitten by an animal that is confirmed to be sick should be vaccinated to prevent transmission of the virus. The vaccination process may differ depending on the type of animal and the circumstances surrounding the bite.
People who continue the vaccination process can continue the vaccination program intact if they are bitten again. To prevent the virus from spreading throughout the body, there is a fast-acting mixture of immunization against the virus. This should be injected near the bite site. This reduces and prevents the risk of spread.
What to do after an animal bite?
When an infected or infected animal bites a person, he or she should seek medical help in case the disease is transmitted. After the bite, the wound should be cleaned and washed gently with soap and plenty of water. This way the virus can be removed.
After the bite, the person should give the doctor every detail. They should describe in detail the type of animal that bit them, whether it was domestic or wild, whether it was vaccinated, and the animal's movements and behavior.
Since the vaccine has some side effects, the vaccination process can be stopped if it is certain that the biting animal does not carry the virus. The situation of determining whether the animal carries the virus may vary.
For example, the pet or farm animal that bit the person should be observed for about 1 week to wait for signs and symptoms to appear. If it is proven that the animal is not sick after observation, the vaccination process can be stopped.
In the case of animals that cannot be observed, the situation is different and the specialist will inform the patient how the process will proceed. If the animal that bit the person can be caught and examined, the animal is tested. Action is taken according to the result of the test.