Rabies – United States
- September 30, 2021
- < 1 min read
An 80-year-old man has passed away one month after contracting rabies from an infected bat in Illinois, USA.
The man had woken up and found a bat in his bed but he refused any treatment and developed symptoms a week later. The symptoms include neck pain, headache, numbness in fingers, difficulty controlling arms, and difficulty speaking.
Photo: Cat and dog playing.
Rabies is a viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: violent movements, uncontrolled excitement, fear of water, an inability to move parts of the body, confusion, and ultimately loss of consciousness. Once symptoms appear, the result is nearly always death.
The time period between contracting the disease and the start of symptoms is usually one to three months, but can vary from less than one week to more than one year.
Rabies is present in more than 150 countries and on all continents but Antarctica. It is very important to have your pets vaccinated and avoid contact with wild animals.
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