What exactly is rabies?

Rabid dog disease is a zoonotic disease caused by the rabies virus that causes severe encephalitis, mainly in warm-blooded animals.

Patients infected with rabies virus but not vaccinated will almost certainly die if they develop neurological symptoms. The cause is usually due to viral damage to the central nervous system (that is, the brain and spinal cord), which is present in large quantities in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, and body fluids and is transmitted primarily through bite wounds.

Many people or animals with infectious diseases can become unusually active or aggressive, or even exhibit other abnormal behaviors when not stimulated. Rabies may also manifest as paralytic symptoms, making the patient quiet and withdrawn.

Rabies kills thousands of people every year and is endemic in more than 100 countries. Communities lacking sanitation and veterinary services are the most vulnerable, often facing higher risks and fewer treatment options.

Successful control of rabies requires adherence to three basic principles: community participation, publicity and education, and mass dog immunization, and timely treatment of rabies bite patients. Countries are taking active actions to strengthen the prevention and control of rabies, strive to achieve the goal of no human deaths by 2030, and finally eliminate the threat of rabies and make it a thing of the past.

Fact 2: Once the symptoms of rabies appear, it often means the end of life.

Overview of the content of the "What the hell is rabies?" extension:Rabies is an acute infectious disease caused by rabies virus and widely spread among humans and animals. The disease attacks the central nervous system, causing patients to experience acute symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, restlessness, followed by manic symptoms such as intense fear, restlessness, biting, difficulty swallowing and convulsions wait. Once rabies occurs, the condition will continue to deteriorate until the patient dies. There is currently no effective treatment, and prevention and immunization are the most effective means of control. Humans are most commonly infected with rabies through dog bites, so dog vaccination and controlling the number of stray dogs are key to preventing rabies.