Can rabies be cured?

Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
Updated on September 26, 2024
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Rabies is a fatal disease, resulting in a 100% fatality rate once infected. It cannot be completely cured. The reason rabies leads to 100% mortality is that after the rabies virus infects the human body, it continuously ascends to the brain, where it proliferates extensively, destroying brain tissue and leading to brain function depletion, a condition that is untreatable. Therefore, in dealing with rabies, it is crucial to focus on prevention. If exposed to rabies, it is necessary to receive the rabies vaccine.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Rabies is transmitted by what?

Rabies is an infectious disease primarily caused by bites from rabid dogs. According to the epidemiology of rabies in our country, it is mostly contracted from dog bites when no rabies vaccine has been administered. Of course, there is also a risk of infection from scratches by cats or dogs during their infectious periods or bites from infected cats, as well as scratches from bats carrying the rabies virus. To date, there have been no reported cases of human-to-human transmission. Rabies is a fatal disease, with a 100% fatality rate upon infection, thus prevention is crucial.

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

Rabies is primarily caused by not getting vaccinated after being bitten by a rabid dog; this has been found in epidemiological studies in our country. In addition to bites from rabid dogs, there are also instances of people being bitten or scratched by cats, or bitten by bats, though these are relatively less common. So far, there have been no cases found of transmission from human to human. Rabies is a fatal disease; once infected, the mortality rate is 100%. Therefore, after being bitten by a dog, it is crucial to take preventive measures, treat the wound, and administer rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin to generally prevent infection.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Does rabies cause headaches and dizziness?

During the apparent symptomatic phase of rabies, symptoms like headache and dizziness may occur, although they are not the main symptoms. More typical symptoms of rabies include hydrophobia, fear of wind, photophobia, and difficulty drinking water. Exposure to bright lights and loud noises can cause whole-body spasms and pain. The disease can also cause facial muscle spasms, leading to distorted facial expressions. Subsequently, opisthotonus may occur, along with drooling, tearing, and tachycardia. Eventually, the patient may fall into a coma and die. Fever may also be present.

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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
34sec home-news-image

How long is the incubation period for rabies?

The incubation period for rabies is generally about one to three months, and it is rare to exceed one year. Therefore, if more than three months have passed since being bitten by a dog without showing symptoms, it is largely possible to rule out rabies. Rabies is a fatal disease, with a 100% death rate once infected, mainly because the infection occurs after being bitten by rabid dogs, cats, or bats and not receiving the rabies vaccine. Rabies can only be prevented, so if there is exposure to the rabies virus, it is necessary to get vaccinated against rabies.