Rabies: A Zoonotic Virus

The rabies virus is a zoonotic virus that kills an annual 55,000 people in countries like Asia and Africa. The amount of deaths is so high in these two countries because they’re not as advanced in medicine as us and vaccinations aren’t as easy to get there
Japan is a rabie free country leading with less than 5 cases the past 50 years. The reason why Japan has almost no cases of rabies is because they have a strict policy on domestic animals making sure they have all their shots and are not infected with anything
Rabies are mainly transmitted through domestic dogs from scratches or bites. The incubation period for rabies ranges from about 1-3 months and could vary from a week to a year If you get bit or scratched from a domestic dog or animal,
In 1885, Louis Pasteur, a French Scientist, cured a boy who was bitten by a rabid dog with a vaccine he was working on for several years and while he was working on a vaccine, he cured many animals with rabies
You need to get a vaccination for rabies as soon as possible after getting infected. After the first injections, if necessary, get additional shots 3, 7, and 14 days after the first dose. To prevent getting infected with rabies, stay away from domestic and wild animals, especially dogs, at all times
The normal dose of rabies vaccine is 5 doses but the new recommendations, based off of evidence from rabies virus pathogenesis data, reduced it down to 4 doses. The 4 dose vaccine with RIG (rabies immune globulin) has a better chance of a successful outcome than a normal 5 dose
Rabies is caused by a Rhabdovirus, a rod shaped virus, which is how it got it’s name. Non biting animals such as deer and livestock can contract the virus but they cannot transmit it which makes them a “dead-end host” In the 1950s, there was an antirabies virus that was developed and that was a requirement for dogs. This more strict rule helped decrease the spread of rabies which reduced the numbers of infections and deaths a