Methods of contracting rabies in humans. Is it possible to get rabies if you are scratched or bitten by a cat: we answer in detail

Rabies is an acute infectious (viral) disease of humans and animals, characterized by damage to the brain: when infected, an inflammatory process (encephalitis) develops.

Despite the fact that rabies is one of the oldest infections, there is no downward trend to date, and no effective treatments have been developed. Rabies remains a deadly disease.

The symptoms of the disease are specific, but quite a long time can pass between infection and the first manifestations of the disease. In this article we will talk about the treatment and prevention of rabies in people, because it is very important to know how to protect yourself and your children from a dangerous disease.

The widespread prevalence of rabies among many species of warm-blooded animals poses a danger of infection to people, including children. Most often, infection occurs, but it is also possible to get the disease from wild animals.

Cause of the disease

Infection occurs through the bite of an animal with rabies.

The source of infection is sick animals. Both wild animals (foxes, wolves, bats), and domestic animals (cats, horses, dogs, pigs, cattle), etc. suffer from rabies. In this regard, a distinction is made between urban and forest types of rabies.

Rare cases of infection with the virus from a sick person have also been reported.

A person receives the virus through bites from a sick animal or through salivation of the skin and mucous membranes. The possibility of infection by airborne droplets has now been proven.

This is how people can become infected by inhaling air in caves with large numbers of bats. The rabies virus can be acquired through food (). A contact route of infection through things that have come into contact with the saliva of a sick animal cannot be ruled out.

Children aged 5-7 to 14-15 (usually boys) are most susceptible to the disease: it is at this age that children fearlessly come into contact with animals and strive for such contact, including stray cats and dogs.

The group at high occupational risk of infection includes hunters, foresters, veterinary workers, and workers catching stray animals. They can also become infected from dead animals. Cases of infection through any microtrauma to the hands during skinning or cutting up the carcass of a sick animal are often recorded.

The seasonality of the disease is noted: from May to September. During this period, people (including children) spend more time outside than in winter. Rural residents get sick more often, as they have more opportunities to come into contact with different animals.

Natural foci of rabies are everywhere! Wild animals with rabies often run into nearby populated areas, where they can attack people.

Animals are infectious already 10 days before they show signs of rabies, but the greatest danger of infection occurs during the period when the disease manifests itself.

Not every bite from an infected animal results in rabies. About 30% of sick dog bites and about 45% of wolf attacks are infectious to humans. The risk of infection is higher with bites on the face and head, neck, perineum, fingers of the upper and lower extremities. Deep and lacerated wounds are very dangerous.

Infection can occur even in cases where there is no bite as such, there is just a scratch-mark from the teeth or only drooling of the skin and mucous membranes. The virus enters the body through the skin and mucous membranes.

Symptoms

The incubation period for rabies is long, from 1 to 6 months. With extensive wounds and massive infection, the incubation period can be reduced to 9 days. For bites of the face, head and neck, the latent period is short, for bites of the lower extremities it is longer. Cases of the development of rabies a year or more after being bitten have been described.

In the rabies clinic, there are 3 periods of the disease:

premonitory;
period of excitement;
period of paralysis.

IN prodromal period illness, aching pain appears in the area of salivation or bite, even if the wound has already healed. Redness of the scar, itching and burning may occur.

The child's temperature rises to within 38°C, worries him, and vomiting may occur. The child refuses food, his sleep is disturbed (insomnia appears). If the baby does fall asleep, then he sees frightening dreams.

During this period, the child is withdrawn, indifferent to what is happening, the mood is depressed and anxious. The facial expression is sad. The teenager is worried about an unfounded feeling of fear, heaviness in the chest, accompanied by breathing.

The duration of the prodromal period is 2-3 days (can extend up to 7 days). Subsequently, mental disorders intensify, depression and indifference are replaced by anxiety.

IN period of excitement The most characteristic symptom of rabies appears: hydrophobia (or hydrophobia). When a patient tries to swallow any liquid, even saliva, a muscle spasm of the larynx and pharynx occurs.

The sight and even the sound of pouring water, and even talking about water, causes a feeling of fear and the development of such a spasm. When trying to give the patient something to drink, he pushes the cup away, bends over, and throws his head back.

At the same time, the patient’s face turns blue and expresses fear: the eyes are somewhat bulging, the pupil is dilated, the gaze is fixed on one point, breathing is difficult, sweating increases. Although the attacks of convulsive muscle contraction are short-lived (lasting a few seconds), they are often repeated.

An attack can be triggered not only by the sight of a liquid, but also by a stream of air, a loud knock or sound, or a bright light. Therefore, the patient develops not only hydrophobia (hydrophobia), but also aerophobia, acoustic phobia, and photophobia.

In addition to increased sweating, there is abundant formation and secretion of saliva. Psychomotor agitation and manifestations of aggression and rage occur. Patients can bite, they spit, they can hit, they can tear their clothes.

It is precisely this kind of inappropriate violent and aggressive behavior that is meant when people say: “behaves like mad.”

During an attack, there is confusion and frightening visual and auditory hallucinations. Between attacks, consciousness may become clearer.

Vomiting, sweating and drooling, and the inability to take fluids lead to dehydration (this is especially pronounced in children) and weight loss. The temperature may remain elevated.

The period of excitation lasts 2 or 3 days, less often up to 5 days. At the height of any of the attacks, respiratory and cardiac arrest may occur, that is, death.

In rare cases, the patient may survive until the third period of the disease - period of paralysis. The attacks stop at this stage, the patient can already drink and swallow food. Hydrophobia disappears. Consciousness during this period is clear.

But this is an imaginary improvement. Body temperature rises above 40°C. Pulse quickened. Excitement gives way to lethargy. Depression and apathy are increasing.

Then the function of the pelvic organs is disrupted, and paralysis of the limbs and cranial nerves develops. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the respiratory and cardiac centers.

In addition to the typical form, there is also atypical form rabies. With this form there is no clear manifestation of periods of the disease; convulsive attacks of hydrophobia and a period of agitation may not develop. Clinical manifestations of the disease are reduced to a depressive, drowsy state with the subsequent development of paralysis.

Rabies baby V early age has some distinctive features:

the disease develops after a short incubation period;
hydrophobia is not noted;
the period of excitement is sometimes absent;
The death of the baby can occur on the very first day of the development of the disease.

In children over 2-3 years of age, the clinical manifestations of rabies are the same as in adults.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis of rabies is made clinically. Even in highly developed countries, it is difficult to confirm the diagnosis during life. As a rule, it is confirmed after the death of the patient.

The reference symptoms for clinical diagnosis are:

the fact of an animal biting or salivating on the patient’s skin;
pain at the site of the bite after the wound has healed;
hydrophobia;
photophobia;
aerophobia;
acoustic phobia;
psychomotor agitation;
swallowing and breathing disorders;
mental disorders;
paralysis.

Due to the lack of intravital laboratory diagnostics, atypical forms of the disease in the absence of agitation and hydrophobia are practically not diagnosed. Diagnosis of rabies in children is especially difficult, because It is not always possible to establish the fact of a child’s contact with a sick animal.

In 2008, French scientists managed to develop and propose for intravital diagnosis a biopsy study of the skin of the neck (at the border with hair growth) using the ELISA method.

The method is highly specific (98%) and highly sensitive (100%) from the very first day of the disease. The study allows you to detect the virus antigen in the nerve endings near the hair follicle.

If possible, the fluorescent antibody method is used to examine corneal prints to detect the virus antigen.

When deciding on the need for immunoprophylaxis, it is necessary to diagnose rabies in the animal that inflicted the bite. This study is carried out as early as possible after the patient’s bite (if the animal’s corpse is available for taking biological tissue samples). In this case, the virus can be detected in the cells of the brain and cornea of the eyes or sections of animal skin using serological reactions and the method of fluorescent antibodies.

Treatment

Treatment of a patient with rabies is carried out only in a hospital. The patient's conditions should exclude exposure to bright light (room with darkened windows), loud noise stimuli and air currents.

Effective therapy for rabies has not been developed. Anti-rabies immunoglobulin, anti-rabies serum and large doses have a weak therapeutic effect.

Symptomatic treatment is carried out:

painkillers to reduce pain;
anticonvulsants;
sleeping pills for sleep disorders;
administration of solutions to normalize water-salt balance;
medications to stimulate the heart and respiratory system;
treatment in a pressure chamber (hyperbaric oxygenation);
cerebral hypothermia (ice pack on head);
connection of an artificial respiration device (according to indications).

The outcome of the disease is unfavorable, patients die. Isolated cases of recovery of children throughout the world have been described.

Prevention

In our country, specific and nonspecific rabies prevention is carried out.

Nonspecific prevention provides for the following measures:

catching and isolating stray animals;
identification of rabid animals by the veterinary service with their subsequent euthanasia;
extermination of predatory animals near populated areas;
quarantine measures and laboratory diagnostics at the source of infection;
sanitary educational work among the population.

Specific prevention is carried out by conducting a course of combined administration of rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin after being bitten or salivated by an animal. After a bite, you should treat the wound and consult a surgeon.

Wound treatment is carried out as follows:

wash the wound generously with boiled soapy water or hydrogen peroxide;
treat the wound with 70° alcohol;
suturing the wound, as well as excision of its edges, is contraindicated;
Anti-rabies immunoglobulin is injected around the wound and into the wound itself;
after 24 hours, anti-rabies serum is injected.

The first two points of treatment should be carried out at home, even before visiting the doctor; the rest is carried out by the surgeon.

Considering the destructive effect of high temperature on the virus, in the field you can use the ancient method of treating wounds after an animal bite: cauterizing the bite wound with a hot iron.

To destroy the virus, you can put a crystal of permanganate or carbolic acid in the wound.

In the case of a bite by a pet, the doctor clarifies under what circumstances the bite was received, whether it was provoked by the patient’s behavior, whether it was vaccinated against rabies, and where the animal is now located. If the bitten animal is healthy (there is a certificate of vaccination), then vaccination is not carried out.

If the animal disappears after being bitten, or if the patient is bitten by a wild animal, vaccination is carried out with an anti-rabies vaccine and anti-rabies immunoglobulin.

The vaccination schedule is selected for the patient (especially a child) by the doctor individually: depending on the depth and location of the bite, how long ago the bite was, what animal inflicted the bite and whether it is possible to observe it.

If after a 10-day observation of a pet that has bitten a person, it remains healthy, then the vaccine is canceled after 3 injections already received (if drooling or a shallow single bite has occurred).

But if the bite was inflicted in dangerous places (listed above), as well as in the absence of the opportunity to observe or examine the animal, the vaccine continues to be administered until the end of the prescribed regimen.

salivation of mucous membranes;
bites (of any depth and quantity) to the dangerous places listed above;
deep single or multiple bites caused by domestic animals;
any damage or salivation by wild animals or rodents.

The rabies vaccine is administered intramuscularly into the shoulder area, and into the upper third of the anterolateral surface of the thigh for children under 5 years of age. The vaccine cannot be administered into the buttocks. The vaccine has a preventive effect even in the case of multiple severe bites.

Persons at occupational risk of infection are given primary prophylaxis with an anti-rabies vaccine. Prophylactic administration of the vaccine is also recommended for young children, given that they may not tell about the contact with the animal.

Preliminary prevention can also be carried out for children when planning a vacation in a rural area or in a health summer camp.

The vaccine is administered 1 ml intramuscularly 3 times: 7 and 28 days after the first administration. Persons at risk of infection are given revaccination every 3 years. After vaccination, adults and children should avoid overheating and avoid overwork. When carrying out vaccination and for six months after it, it is necessary to categorically exclude the use of any types and doses. Otherwise, complications from the central nervous system may occur.

Summary for parents

Considering that rabies is almost impossible to cure, all measures must be taken to prevent the child from becoming infected. The dangers of contact with stray cats and dogs should be explained to children from an early age. Small children should not be left unattended to prevent attacks and bites from animals.

Every person who comes into contact with domestic or wild animals should know what rabies in dogs is, how long the incubation period after infection lasts, and what the main routes of infection are.

The virus is currently incurable, so prevention is extremely important. Let's figure out how rabies is transmitted in dogs.

Rabies has a long history and a “strong association” with dogs. The first written account of rabies is contained in the Laws of Eshnunna, dated 1930 BC. e. The report contains not only a diagnosis, but also recommendations that the owner of a dog exhibiting symptoms of rabies should take all possible measures to prevent it from biting anyone.

What is rabies in dogs? It is a viral neuroinvasive disease that causes inflammation in the brain and is usually fatal. Rabies is viral in nature and primarily affects mammals.

During laboratory research, it was discovered that birds can also be infected with the virus. A minor risk group includes cold-blooded animals and insects; they become infected with the virus only unnaturally, if a person has a hand in this process.

Animals with rabies suffer from deterioration of the central nervous system and tend to behave strangely and often aggressively. Inappropriate behavior increases the likelihood that a virus carrier will bite a healthy animal or person, which will lead to transmission of the virus.

In dogs, rabies usually develops in three stages:

Prodromal or first stage 1–3 days– characterized by behavioral changes.

Second stage 3–4 days– characterized by excitement. It is this stage that is associated with "rabid animal rage" due to the affected dog's tendency to become hyper-reactive to external stimuli and bite anyone and anything that comes close.

Third stage 2–3 days– paralytic stage, which is caused by damage to neurons in the brain. There are coordination problems and other problems in the central nervous system. The dog cannot walk or does so unnaturally due to paralysis of the hind limb. At this stage, foamy drooling is observed. Further, there are difficulties with swallowing, paralysis of the facial and throat muscles. Death usually occurs due to collapse of the respiratory tract.

Read also: Coprostasis in dogs: causes, signs and treatment

Pay attention! Most people become infected with rabies from canines and wild animals. Among domestic animals, the most common carrier of the virus is the dog.

Incubation period after rabies infection

In the process of large-scale research, it was found that the rabies virus enters the bloodstream through the bite of a virus carrier. The virus spreads from the site of the bite to the brain. Virus cells travel both in the bloodstream and along nerve fibers.

Important! Until the virus concentration in the brain reaches a critical mass and neuronal damage begins, the animal does not appear sick.

The incubation period is the time interval between the bite and the onset of symptoms. Incubation of the rabies virus can last from several weeks to several months. An animal bite during the incubation period does not carry the risk of infection, since the virus has not yet entered the saliva. At the final stage of the disease, the sick dog produces saliva with a huge amount of virus.

At the stage when the virus cells have multiplied in the brain, almost all animals begin to show the first signs of rabies. Most of which are not obvious. Within 3–5 days, when the virus has destroyed enough neurons, the animal begins to show obvious signs of infection.

In almost all countries, an animal that bites a person or other pet must undergo a mandatory quarantine period.

Some countries require this quarantine to take place at an approved animal control facility, while others allow quarantine at the owner's home.

Read also: Understanding the causes of baldness in dogs

Quarantine is set for 10–14 days because an animal infected with rabies can transmit the disease only after clinical signs have appeared. Once these signs begin to progress, the animal will die within 10 days. If the animal lives for more than 10 days and does not show suspicious symptoms, the quarantine is lifted.

Important! The potential virus carrier dies before the 10th day of quarantine, and the corpse is examined. If during the autopsy specific signs of brain inflammation were discovered, prophylaxis is prescribed to all those in contact.

Ways of infection with rabies

Routes of infection contacts. All species of mammals are susceptible to infection with the rabies virus, but only a few species in specific areas are the leading vectors.

In Europe and Asia, the most common carriers of the rabies virus are:

Foxes.
Bats (predatory).
Raccoons and other canids.

Transmission of the rabies virus occurs when a carrier's infected saliva is transferred to an uninfected animal. The most common way of transmitting the rabies virus is through a bite.

Possible routes of infection are:

Scratches.
Contact of contaminated saliva or blood and damaged mucous membranes.
Contact of contaminated saliva or blood and damaged skin.

Pay attention! recent studies have shown that an animal can become infected with rabies by inhaling gases that are released during the decomposition of the corpse of a virus carrier. It is unknown whether a person can become infected with rabies in a similar way.

From dog to dog

The rabies virus is transmitted from dog to dog by:

Bites during fights.
Courtship - contact of infected saliva with damaged mucous membranes.

The second route of transmission is extremely rare. The fact is that at the moment when the virus accumulates in saliva, the dog develops phobias to sounds, water, light and tactile contacts.

From dog to man

The rabies virus is transmitted from dogs to humans by:

Bites.
Contact of saliva and damaged skin or mucous membranes.

What is rabies? How is this disease transmitted? You will find answers to the questions posed below. We will also tell you about the manifestations of this disease, its prevention and treatment.

General information about the disease

What is rabies (many people know how this disease is transmitted)? According to experts, this is an infectious disease. The causative agent of rabies is the Rabies virus, which belongs to the genus Lyssavirus and family Rhabdoviridae.

Another name for the disease in question is “rabies.” Previously, this disease was called hydrophobia, or hydrophobia.

The causative agent of rabies, the Rabies virus, contributes to the development of specific encephalitis, that is, inflammation of the brain in humans and animals.

Features of a viral disease

Until 2005, this disease was considered fatal to humans. There was no reliable evidence of a cure for this disease after the onset of symptoms at that time. Today, free of charge, done immediately after a possible infection, effectively prevents the further spread of the virus.

In 2005, the first case of complete recovery of a person from this disease at the stage of manifestation of its symptoms was recorded. Thus, by 2012, 5 out of 37 people were cured by vaccination.

Rabies: how it is transmitted to humans

The name of the disease in question comes from the word “demon.” This is due to the fact that in ancient times people believed that the cause of this disease was the possession of an animal or a person by evil spirits. By the way, the Latin name of the mentioned disease - “rabies” has the same meaning.

So what is rabies? How is this disease transmitted? Experts report that the causative agent of this disease is transmitted to humans through saliva when bitten by a sick animal. The virus then spreads through and reaches the salivary glands, brain cells, bulbar centers and hippocampus. Once it affects them, it causes severe disturbances.

Scientific studies have shown that the rabies virus is contained in the saliva of an animal during and 2 days before the manifestation of any symptoms of the disease. However, there were cases when even 9-14 days before the appearance of signs in the animal, infection had already occurred from it.

The most dangerous animal bites

Cases of rabies after a bite in humans are not very common. But even without showing any signs of the disease, you should definitely get a preventive vaccination. After all, absolutely all people who are bitten are at risk of infection.

Few people know, but the danger of bites may depend on several factors, including:

It should also be noted that in addition to bites, infection with the virus in question can occur in another way. For example, there are known cases of pathogen transmission when a dog licked human skin that had fresh wounds and scratches.

Another way of possible infection is through autopsies on animals or people who have died from rabies.

Is it possible to get infected from a person?

Rabies is very rarely transmitted from person to person. This can only happen if, in a fit of rage, the patient attacks a healthy person, as a result of which his saliva gets on the latter’s skin.

There is also a low chance of infection by inhaling aerosols that contain rabies viral particles.

Despite popular belief, the causative agent of the disease in question cannot pass to humans by eating raw meat from infected animals.

How does rabies manifest itself?

Experts distinguish 3 main stages of the disease in question.

Prodromal period.

This period usually lasts 1-3 days and is manifested by headache, fever, loss of appetite and fatigue. An infected person experiences neuralgia along the nerves that are close to the site of the bite. Also in this area there is increased skin sensitivity and slight twitching of muscle tissue.

Excitement stage.

This stage lasts about 5-7 days. It is manifested by temporary attacks of excessive excitement (psychomotor), and is also expressed by a sharp increased sensitivity to even minor stimuli of the senses (for example, bright light, various sounds, noise, etc.).

Patients become very violent and aggressive. They experience hallucinations, a feeling of fear, delirium, paresis, convulsions and paralysis of muscle tissue. In addition, the stage of excitement is accompanied by fever and body temperature up to 40 degrees. As the disease progresses, attacks occur more frequently, and the interictal periods become significantly shorter.

Stage of paralysis.

At this stage, all of the above signs are accompanied by symptoms of damage (including paresis of the facial nerve, diplopia, paresis of the facial muscles). There is also paralysis of the eye muscles and impaired swallowing reflexes.

Drooling combined with impaired swallowing leads to foam in the mouth. This is a characteristic feature of all patients with rabies.

It should also be noted that in half of the cases, infected people and animals have hydrophobia. When drinking liquid, patients experience involuntary and sudden contractions of the diaphragm, as well as other respiratory muscles.

The duration of the disease in question is 50-55 days. Sometimes this period can be reduced to two weeks. Typically, the death of an animal or person occurs due to respiratory arrest due to damage to the respiratory apparatus.

Treatment of rabies in animals and humans

"Nobivak Rabies" is an inactivated vaccine, which is a prophylactic agent for immunizing healthy animals against rabies. A single injection allows you to create active immunity in cats and dogs for up to three years, in sheep, horses, goats and cattle - up to two years, and in minks, foxes and ferrets - up to one year.

The increase in immunity after administration of the Nobivak Rabies vaccine usually occurs on the 21st day.

As for people, rabies treatment is carried out in intensive care units. Providing first aid to the victim also plays an important role. The bitten person is given an injection on the same day he goes to the clinic.

Is rabies transmitted from person to person?

Good afternoon Tell me, please, is it possible to transmit the rabies virus from person to person? Yesterday I was on the subway, standing near the first seat, a strange-looking woman was sitting next to me, suddenly she started yelling at the girl who was standing next to me and right in front of her. As luck would have it, I paid attention and looked in the direction of that strange woman as she screamed. Is there a risk of contracting rabies from a person if a drop of saliva gets on my chapped lips, and then I accidentally lick it (there are wounds in my mouth). There is various conflicting information on the Internet, so I really want to know a competent opinion. Thanks in advance!

Theoretically, it is possible. If at least one RNA helix of the rabiovirus gets on the wound, it gets involved in its dirty work.
How do you know that that woman is mad? Inadequate? Brutal violence towards passengers? Attempts to bite (funny!)?

Georgy, I don’t know whether that woman was mad or not, she was out of control, but it seemed like she didn’t want to bite or hit.
Judging by your contradictory answer, on the one hand you need to go get vaccinated, but on the other you think it’s funny.
I would like to hear the opinion of an infectious disease specialist whether there have been such cases or not, how dangerous such situations are and whether infection from a person by airborne droplets could have occurred (in the situation I described).
Thanks for understanding.

Georgy, stop scaring people, users ask questions to doctors, not to forum participants, why do you constantly answer?! Get busy already. And the moderators need to reconsider the rules and capabilities of the participants; their answers should be separate from the answers of real doctors.

Hello! Can you help me with this issue? I have a question, a girl was bitten by a dog a week ago, she didn’t do anything, didn’t go anywhere, didn’t get vaccinated, didn’t do anything about it, I didn’t know, I had sex with her, kissed her, I had a small wound on my lip, and there were several cut wounds on my fingers, that’s the question Is this somehow transmitted through kissing or sexual intercourse?

I found this information on one of the websites and now I’m very worried,
contact with the saliva of an infected person, but only in cases where it gets on the mucous membrane or on an open wound; rabies can be transmitted through sexual contact (oral sex).

The thing is that I don’t know, I didn’t see a dog, I met a girl in another city, we talked, then there was intimacy, that is, they kissed, there was sex, then she said that a few days ago a dog bit her in the leg and she didn’t vaccinate, she told me not to touch my leg hurts when you touch it, I went to another city, now I read it on the Internet and began to worry whether I could get infected from it. I don't know if she got infected or not. How can I protect myself? Can I take something for prevention or get some tests done?
Sorry for so many questions, I'm just really worried

I have a question similar to yours...

I can tell you as a non-specialist that if she had not bitten her on the head, neck or hands, where rabies spreads most quickly, it simply would not have had time to get into her saliva in a week.

How are you doing, by the way? (And girls)

Hello! I have a question, can you help me?

5 months ago a girl was bitten by a dog, she didn’t do anything, didn’t go anywhere, didn’t get vaccinated, didn’t do anything about it, I didn’t know, I had sex with her, kissed her, I had a small wound on my lip, and I had several cut off on my fingers

wound, such a question is this somehow transmitted through kissing or sexual intercourse? I found such information on one of the sites. Now I am very worried about contact with the saliva of an infected person, but only in cases where

it gets on the mucous membrane or on an open wound; rabies can be transmitted through sexual contact (oral sex). The thing is that I don’t know, I didn’t see the dog, I met a girl in another city, we talked then there was intimacy, that is

they kissed, there was sex, then she said that a few days ago a dog bit her in the leg and she didn’t get vaccinated, she told me don’t touch my leg, it hurts when you touch it, I went to another city, read it on the Internet and decided to do it for myself

I was vaccinated against tetanus and received 5 injections against rabies. This all happened 5 months ago. Now I came to this city again, I met this girl, we talked, she said that the wound had healed and she didn’t do anything, no vaccinations, say this

dangerous or not? And the question is, if I kiss her and have sex, can it be transmitted to me if she became infected with something from a dog bite? I have a wound on my lip (a couple of damaged teeth) and a couple of wounds on my fingers. I'm worried

That’s why I want to know whether it’s worth getting intimate or not (after all, kissing can be transmitted by a person’s saliva)? Another question: I was vaccinated against rabies and tetanus 5 months ago, this will protect me from something if it is something

infected? And if, for example, a dog bites me, do I need to get vaccinated again or will it no longer be necessary?

Some cat owners do not even imagine what danger can come from their cute and seemingly harmless pet and do not know whether a cat can become infected with rabies. Even yesterday, an affectionate pet turns into an angry animal the next day, which pursues only one goal - to bite its owner. Among diseases transmitted from cats to humans, rabies is considered the most dangerous. Moreover, the animal becomes infectious already in the incubation period of the disease. How to prevent infection? And how to recognize a disease in a pet in time?

Routes of infection in cats

The causative agent of rabies, the Rabies lyssavirus virus is “famous” for its large number of deaths in humans and one hundred percent in animals. A pet can become infected through contact with a wild animal: fox, hedgehog, wolf, bat. The cause of infection may be:

bite of an infected animal,
contact with a sick animal that died of rabies (for example, when eaten),
Saliva getting into a wound or crack in the skin.

There are two forms of the rabies virus: forest and urban. When it comes to rabies in cats, we mean the urban form. The risk of developing rabies in cats occurs if the animal has free access to the street. The incubation period of the disease in a cat lasts from 2 to 6 weeks; it is usually asymptomatic, but the cat already poses a danger to the owner and other animals.

All warm-blooded animals, including humans, can get rabies. People who work in close contact with wildlife are especially susceptible to infection. Vulnerable groups for rabies include hunters, game wardens, veterinarians and travelers.

How can rabies be transmitted to humans?

Every year around the world, about 50 thousand people die from a disease such as rabies. A person's death is caused by his own negligence. The main causes of death in humans from rabies are considered to be untimely provision of medical care, violation of the vaccination schedule, and unauthorized completion of vaccination ahead of schedule. It is quite easy to catch rabies from a cat. A dangerous virus can enter the body through the infected saliva of a sick cat, even through a small wound or through mucous membranes. You can also get rabies from a cat through a scratch.

How does infection manifest itself?

When the virus enters the body, an incubation period begins, lasting from 10 days to 1 year. Its duration is affected by the location of the bite. The closer it is to the head, the faster the disease develops. When the incubation period ends, the disease begins to progress. The disease occurs in three stages and has the following symptoms::

The initial stage lasts from 1 to 3 days. Unpleasant sensations occur in the bite area, vomiting, weakness and diarrhea appear, body temperature rises to low-grade levels. The patient becomes apathetic and begins to suffer from hallucinations.
Excitement stage (2-3 days). Manifested by frequent vomiting. The person becomes violent and irritable. Improvements are observed between attacks. A characteristic symptom of this stage is hydrophobia.
Stage of paralysis (from 12 hours to 24 hours). Body temperature increases significantly to 40-42°. Individual muscle groups are paralyzed and convulsions occur. Death occurs as a result of paralysis of the heart muscle or respiratory tract.

Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for rabies when clinical symptoms develop; the introduction of an anti-rabies vaccine is not effective. You can help a person only during the incubation period of the disease. Moreover, the effective result directly depends on the speed of treatment started.

When symptoms of the disease have already appeared, only symptomatic drugs can alleviate the patient’s condition: narcotic substances, antipyretics, anticonvulsants. The infected person is placed in the infectious disease ward of the hospital and is provided with complete peace and quiet. Whatever the medical manipulation, the disease will end in death.

How to avoid infection

Rabies is transmitted from cat to person only if the cat is infected with the virus. The airborne route of infection is excluded. Therefore, the only way to prevent rabies is vaccination. To avoid getting infected from a cat, you need to vaccinate it annually. If desired, the doctor can give the cat a multicomponent vaccine that will protect the cat and humans not only from rabies, but also from other dangerous diseases.