Is Rabies Contagious? Rabies is a type of disease commonly found in developing countries such as in Asia and Africa.
Rabies or Mad Dog Disease is a viral infection of the brain and nervous system. This disease is very deadly and is zoonotic or transmitted from animals to humans. Even with one bite of a dog rabies can kill a human life.
Rabies is a very dangerous infectious disease because it has a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) or a 100% mortality rate. This means that any positive case of rabies in humans will lead to death.
So far, the rabies virus has always been associated with bites from animals that become carriers of the rabies virus. It is a warm-blooded animal, such as dogs, cats, and monkeys.
Well, please be aware that the transmission of rabies can not only go through bites, but can be due to non bites. Such as scratches, or licks on open skin by animals infected with the rabies virus.
Is rabies contagious from person to person?
Rabies virus, which is commonly transmitted by animals such as dogs to humans through bites, also has the potential to be transmitted from human to human, although currently the number of cases of transmission is minimal. But that has the potential to happen.
Despite the small number of cases, there is still the potential for rabies virus to be transmitted from human to human.
Rabies virus generally moves from the nerves to the brain. Once in the brain, the virus multiplies itself and then into the muscles and it is contained in saliva.
During this phase, rabies virus transmission usually occurs and it is certainly at risk from human to human.
Mode of transmission of rabies
If an animal infected with rabies produces excess saliva, seizures, or paralysis, it is not the case for humans. The first symptoms of rabies in human are lethargy, fever, pain, and headache. ‘
Learn more about:
What Are The Symptoms Of Rabies? Here are The Symptoms in Humans and Cats
The way rabies is contagion in animals are different from in humans. Transmission in animals through bites. In humans, the transmission can be through licks. Especially in open wounds.
Through a bite
From the bite, it makes the human skin hurt and the virus enters the tissues of the body.
Through The Open Wound Area
Transmission of rabies virus from Rabies Transmission Animals can also be transmitted through the saliva of rabies-positive animals if the saliva is exposed to open or injured parts of the body.
Through open parts of the body (Mucosa)
Not only that, through the open parts of the body (mucosa) such as on the eyes, lips, and nose, the rabies virus is also able to be transmitted.
Rabies mode of transmission human to human
Rabies can be transmitted in two ways, namely through animal bites or the saliva of rabies animals that hit the mucous membrane.
If a person makes physical contact with a rabies sufferer and has been in the worst phase, there may be an aggressive reaction that causes the person to injure or biting until infected through saliva.
This can be a way of transmitting rabies from human to human, however, the likelihood of such a situation is arguably very small.
Cases of rabies transmission between humans are considered very rare.
Nevertheless, organ donation or organ transplantation has the possibility to be one way of transmitting rabies from human to human.
Organs from donors with rabies can transmit the rabies virus to the recipient.
If it has been declared rabies positive, then the organ recipient should immediately get injections of anti rabies vaccine and anti rabies serum to prevent its spread in the body.
Before performing an organ transplant, perform a thorough health check for donors.
In addition, the way rabies is transmitted from human to human cannot occur by air or if only making regular physical contact.
Read also:
Is There A Cure For Rabies In Humans? Treatment Steps
Thank you very much for reading Is Rabies Contagious? And Mode of transmission of rabies, hopefully useful.
