Rabies Day is celebrated every year on 28 September all over the world. This day is celebrated to spread awareness about rabies, which is a fatal disease. Rabies is a deadly virus that causes death in most cases. Usually, rabies is associated with dogs because it is usually spread by dog bites. But, do you know that rabies is not spread only by dog bites, there are some other reasons why rabies spreads. Let us tell you about the causes of the spread of rabies, its symptoms, and prevention on World Rabies Day 2024.
What is rabies?
Before knowing about the causes, prevention, and symptoms of the spread of rabies, it is important to know what rabies is. Rabies is a deadly virus, which is present in the saliva of infected dogs or animals and spreads due to the bite of these animals. If a person starts showing symptoms of rabies once, then in most cases it can cause death.
Causes of Rabies
Rabies is spread due to the bite or scratch of an infected animal. Apart from this, humans can also get rabies when the saliva of an infected animal comes in direct contact with a person's skin. Apart from dog bites, rabies is also found in cats, beavers, cows, goats, bats, raccoons, foxes, monkeys, and coyotes, but in most cases, rabies is caused by bites or scratches of infected dogs. The best way to prevent rabies is to get your pets vaccinated and maintain a distance from stray dogs.
Symptoms of Rabies
Symptoms of rabies usually do not appear quickly. When a person is bitten by an infected animal or comes in contact with rabies, the virus reaches the brain through the body before producing symptoms, only after this do the symptoms appear. Rabies can remain inactive in a person's body for 1 to 3 months. Talking about the symptoms of rabies, its first sign is fever. The things to pay attention to in rabies are-
Feeling nervous
Difficulty swallowing water or being afraid of consuming liquid
Fever
Severe headache
Feeling nervous
Nightmares and excessive salivation
Insomnia
Partial paralysis can also be a symptom of rabies.
Measures to prevent rabies
If a person is bitten by a dog, stray animal, or infected animal, then he should immediately consult a health specialist. The health specialist will examine the wound and then determine whether treatment is needed or not. To prevent this, get a rabies test done and also get the animal that has bitten the person tested. Apart from this, if a rabies-infected animal bites, scratches or its saliva comes in direct contact with the skin, get the rabies vaccine immediately. Stay away from wild animals, do not allow bats to come near your house, and get your pet vaccinated against rabies. To ensure that your pet does not come in contact with a rabies-infected animal, keep your pet indoors and take it out only under your supervision.
(PC: Freepik)
