(GIST OF SCIENCE REPORTER) Rabies

(DECEMBER-2025)

Rabies

According to a paper published in One Health, of the 59,000 rabies-mediated human deaths in the world every year, India represents a third, around 20,000, and more than any other country.

About Rabies:

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease.
It is caused by the Rabies virus (RABV) which affects the central nervous system.
It infects mammals, including dogs, cats, livestock and wildlife.
It is one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD)that predominantly affects already marginalized, poor and vulnerable populations.
Transmission: It spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa (e.g. eyes, mouth, or open wounds).

Clinically, it has two forms:

Furious rabies: It is characterized by hyperactivity and hallucinations.
Paralytic rabies: It is characterized by paralysis and coma.

Symptoms of Rabies:

The incubation period for rabies is typically 2–3 monthsbut may vary from one week to one year.
Initial symptoms include generic signs like fever, pain, and unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensations at the wound site.
As the virus moves to the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.
Once the virus infects the central nervous system and clinical symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases.
Prevention: Vaccinating dogs, including puppies, is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people because it stops the transmission at its source.