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Dr Maha Ahmed, working as a medical officer in Capital Hospital (CDA Hospital) of Islamabad, Pakistan says, “Rabies is a fatal disease, with a mortality rate of 100%. Once signs and symptoms of rabies appear, nothing much can be done but there are only six patients from all around the world, who have survived rabies after developing its signs and symptoms”. Who are these lucky people and how they survived? This is what we are going to discuss in this article. Unlike many other viruses and bacteria, Rabies virus doesn’t spread via blood. It spreads when an animal that can transmit rabies , bites a human. The rabies virus is present in the saliva of the rabid animal. The virus when introduced into the wound of the patient attaches itself to the nerves and starts travelling to the central nervous system. When it reaches the brain, it stimulates and causes generalized inflammation of the brain, damages it and this is the point of no return. The patient starts showing the signs and sympto...

When Rabid dog or any other animal that can transmit rabies bites the management depends on the category of the wound.  A rabid animal bite is categorized into three categories depending on the depth and tissues involved. The deeper the wound is, the more dangerous it will be. Wounds categorization for a rabid animal bite. Category I wound. Category I wounds are not wounds actually. Because in these, the skin remains intact. If a rabid animal, feed on your hand or licks your skin, but there shouldn’t be any abrasion, or breakage of the integrity of skin epithelium then there is no risk of transmission of rabies. In this case, no vaccination is needed, only reassurance of the doubter is enough. Category II Wounds. Category II (two) wounds carry the moderate risk of transmission of rabies. If a rabid animal licks an uncovered area of skin, like some previous wound or abrasion or you have got a minor scratch or abrasion from an animal that can transmit rabies in such a way that no ...