Can rabies be contagious?

Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
Updated on September 18, 2024
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Rabies is contagious and is primarily transmitted through bites from infected dogs, cats, or bats. During the onset of the disease, the saliva of rabid dogs contains a high concentration of the rabies virus. Similarly, the saliva of cats in the onset phase also contains a large amount of the rabies virus. If these rabies viruses enter the human body, there is a significant risk of infection. Currently, transmission of rabies from one person to another is extremely rare; it is mainly transmitted to humans through bites from infected animals during their symptomatic phase.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Can rabies be cured?

Rabies cannot be cured, and once infected and symptomatic, it is 100% fatal with no existing therapeutic strategies. Treatment only involves symptomatic care to alleviate some symptoms of patients but does not improve prognosis; generally, death occurs. Therefore, prevention of rabies is crucial. If exposed to potentially rabid dog or cat bites, it is essential to promptly administer rabies vaccine, and sometimes, it is necessary to concurrently inject rabies immunoglobulin.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Can rabies be treated?

Rabies, once contracted, is incurable and leads to a 100% fatality rate. The reason rabies is incurable primarily stems from the rabies virus invading the human body and proliferating extensively within the brain's nerves. This leads to the destruction of brain tissues and the exhaustion of brain functions, making it impossible to treat. Therefore, prevention of rabies is crucial. If there is exposure to the rabies virus, it is necessary to administer the rabies vaccine, and in some cases, it may also be necessary to administer rabies immunoglobulin concurrently.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Is rabies contagious?

Rabies is a contagious disease, and currently, rabies is primarily transmitted by bites or scratches from rabid dogs. Additionally, there are risks of infection from bites by cats during their symptomatic phase, as well as from bats. Transmission from human to human is extremely rare. The rabies virus mainly resides in the saliva of dogs or cats during their symptomatic phase. Therefore, the risk is significant if bitten by a rabid dog. Rabies is a fatal disease, with an infection leading to 100% mortality, which makes prevention crucial.

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Why is rabies afraid of water?

The reason why rabies fears water is because the rabies virus proliferates extensively in the brain, causing massive damage to brain tissues and cells. When it affects certain swallowing nerves and glossopharyngeal nerves, and causes extensive necrosis of brain and liver cells, these symptoms will appear. In addition to fearing water, there is also a fear of bright light, wind sounds, and noise. There will be evident fear-induced spasms, and eventually, it leads to death due to coma, and it is also prone to fever.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Does rabies cause coughing?

Rabies generally does not cause severe coughing, but in the late stages of the disease, coughing can occur. Eventually, due to spasms and paralysis of the respiratory muscles, some sputum cannot be expelled, which stimulates the respiratory tract to produce more secretions, possibly leading to frequent coughing. The main symptoms of rabies are a distinct fear and restlessness towards water, light, and wind. Rabies ultimately leads to death due to respiratory muscle failure and paralysis of the respiratory system.