8 Richmond Register
HEALTH BEAT
JUNE 2013
M A D I S O N C O U N T Y H E A LT H D E P A R T M E N T
Rabies still common in the wild As long as rabies is circulating among wildlife populations, our best protection is to keep dogs and other pets vaccinated annually. Rabies is such an uncommon disease in our society today that we may only think of it when our veterinarian reminds us to get our pets’ annual vaccinations. However, on closer inspection one finds that this disease is not as uncommon as it appears.
Rabies has been with us a long time The name rabies comes from the Latin revere, which means to rage or rave. The Greeks gave the human form of rabies the name hydrophobia. This means “fear of water,” which is a symptom shown by rabies victims.
With animal bites being the most common form of transmission, and with maddening symptoms ending in death, the disease has held our attention for millennia. Its incidence has been documented throughout history, with records as far back as the Babylonians describing symptoms and deaths from rabies more than 4,000 years ago. Rabies occurs in outbreaks, and the number of cases in a region will rise and fall over time. During the Middle Ages, officials in cities sometimes ordered mass slaughter of stray dogs to try to stop rabies outbreaks. The majority of rabies cases happen in wildlife, such as raccoons, foxes,
CHRISTIE GREEN, MPH MCHD
PUBLIC
INFORMATION OFFICER
skunks and bats. However, most cases in humans are from being bitten by a domestic animal. Dogs are the most common transmitter of rabies to humans because they are the most common link to infected wildlife. Rabies is more common in developing countries that lack canine vaccination programs than in industrialized countries. The World Health Organization Reports that globally, approximately 35,000 to 50,000 individuals die of rabies each year.
Rabies is fatal if not treated BEFORE symptoms show Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system. It can take a long time for rabies symptoms to appear, but the course is quick and fatal once symptoms develop. Early symptoms include anxiety, confusion or agitation. As the disease progresses, victims experience delirium, hallucinations, abnormal behavior and insomnia. Paralysis typically occurs, and death comes from cardiac arrest as the victims’ systems shut down. To date, less than 10 documented cases of human survival have been reported. After developing symptoms, victims typically live only 10 days or less. For thousands of years, no hope existed for someone bitten by a rabid animal. Then Louis Pasteur and Emile Roux created a vaccine