World Rabies Day calls for Rabies Awareness

The World Rabies Day was celebrated for the first time in 45 countries to draw attention towards its causative culprits and warn people to be on guard against it. It is a global initiative by the nonprofit Alliance for Rabies Control to further spread knowledge about the effects of human and animal rabies and guide them on its prevention.

The dog specific form of rabies known as canine rabies has been abolished from the United States, says a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

However, it is still prevalent in the bat; racoon and skunk population and dogs and humans are still at a risk of being infected if bitten by one of these animals.

While raccoons are the major culprits in eastern United States, cats, skunks and bats also pose major risks. "Cats are certainly even more of a risk or a threat to be aware of, even if they don't get as much attention," said Kim Mitchell, an epidemiologist.

Although, it is preventable in humans, rabies, a viral disease, still takes the lives of 55,000 people globally every year. A rabid animal bite is usually the source of infection. The gradual development of the disease takes around six years in humans, and only six months in a dog. By the time symptoms emerge it is too late to be treated and the patient is not likely to survive. It may be prevented by vaccination.

Majority of reported cases are in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes while very few are reported in domestic animals like cats, cattle.

After the rabies virus is transmitted to the human body, it infects the nervous system and causes encephalopathy (brain disease) eventually leading to death. Early symptoms include fever, headache.

With the progression of the disease, the patient may experience insomnia, anxiety confusion, paralysis, hallucinations, dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), and hydrophobia (fear of water).

Humans can still catch it from wild animals. Domestic animals may also be infected by wild animal bites and further may cause human infection. People are constantly being reminded to have their pets vaccinated.