World Rabies Day: "Facts, Not Fear"

To make people aware of the zoonotic disease, "Rabies", every year on 28th September, World Rabies Day is observed. Here is what more you need to know about rabies.

Every year about 15-20 lakh people in our country suffer from rabies. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), every year approximately 20,000 people die of rabies in India. Therefore, to spread more awareness about what the disease is and how it can be prevented, World Rabies Day is celebrated annually on 28th September. This year, the theme of the day is "Rabies: Facts, not Fear". The theme, according to WHO, stresses sharing facts about rabies, and not spreading fear about the disease by relying on misinformation and myths.

History Of Rabies Day

World Rabies Day was observed for the first time on 28th September 2007 by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA along with WHO. It is to be noted that the many organizations, governmental and nongovernmental, associated with rabies have together aimed to eliminate this disease by the year 2030.

What Is Rabies?

Rabies is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans. The Global Alliance for Rabies Control states that Rabies is a viral disease that is transmitted through the saliva or nervous system tissues of an infected mammal to another mammal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system and causes severely distressing neurological symptoms, disease in the brain, and, ultimately, death. Rabies is the deadliest disease on earth with a 99.9% fatality rate.

Infection usually occurs following a bite or scratch from an infected animal, and the rabies virus is transmitted through the saliva of the host animal. Most often, the virus is passed to human populations through dogs (95% of worldwide cases), but the other species have been identified as important reservoirs of the rabies virus, including bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes.

Immediate, thorough wound washing with soap and water after contact with a suspect rabid animal is crucial and can save lives. Also, if you are unaware of where the dog comes from and whether or not it is vaccinated, the person who got bit by the animal must get vaccinated immediately.

Symptoms Of Rabies

If a person has been bitten by a rabid animal, he/she may start experiencing fever. They may feel tired or weak and there can be pain, burning or a tingling sensation on the site of the wound. Rabies can remain dormant in your body for 1 to 3 months. Doctors call this the "incubation period". But as soon as this virus starts spreading in your central nervous system, serious symptoms begin to appear in the body.

Symptoms of rabies can be similar to those of flu and can last for several days. Apart from that, some other symptoms are:

• Panicking
• Difficulty swallowing water or fear of water
• Fever
• Feeling worrisome
• Feeling confused
• Vomiting and nausea
• Headache
• Nightmares
• Excessive salivation
• Partial Paralysis

How To Prevent?

1. Leave all wildlife alone, including injured animals. If you find an injured animal, don’t touch it; contact local authorities for assistance.
2. Know the risk. Find out if rabies is present in dogs or wildlife at your destination before international travel.
3. Wash animal bites or scratches immediately with soap and water.
4. If you are bitten, scratched, or unsure, talk to a healthcare provider about whether you need post-exposure prophylaxis. Rabies in people is 100% preventable through prompt appropriate medical care.
5. Vaccinate your pets to protect them and your family.