Rabies

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Patient Handouts

Summary

Rabies is a deadly animal disease caused by a virus. It can happen in wild animals, including raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes, or in dogs, cats or farm animals. People get it from the bite of an infected animal.

In people, symptoms of rabies include fever, headache and fatigue, then confusion, hallucinations and paralysis. Once the symptoms begin, the disease is usually fatal. A series of shots can prevent rabies in people exposed to the virus. You need to get them right away. If an animal bites you, wash the wound well; then get medical care.

To help prevent rabies:

• Vaccinate your pet. Rabies vaccines are available for dogs, cats and farm animals
• Don't let pets roam
• Don't approach stray animals. Animals with rabies might be aggressive and vicious, or tired and weak

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Rabies (World Health Organization)
• Rabies Exposure: When Should I Seek Medical Attention? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Rabies: Questions and Answers (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF

Symptoms

• What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Rabies? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Rabies: Diagnosis in Animals and Humans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• How Can You Prevent Rabies in Animals? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• How Can You Prevent Rabies in People? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Rabies Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF

Treatments and Therapies

• Animal Bites: First Aid (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Rabies Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Learning about Bats and Rabies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Rabies: What If I Receive Treatment Outside the United States? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Travelers' Health: Rabies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Specifics

• How Is Rabies Transmitted? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Statistics and Research

• Rabies (World Health Organization)
• Rabies in the U.S. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Rabies: A Forgotten Killer (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Incorporating environmental heterogeneity and observation effort to predict host distribution and...
• Article: Third-generation rabies viral vectors allow nontoxic retrograde targeting of projection neurons...
• Article: An mRNA vaccine against rabies provides strong and durable protection in...
• Rabies -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Patient Handouts

• Rabies (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Rabies Vaccine: What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF