Rabies is a fatal infectious disease. After infection with the rabies virus, it is not easy to develop symptoms immediately. There is a period of risk that can last from several days to several months, depending on factors such as age, location of infection, and the severity of the wound. However, the history of the present illness does not exceed 6 days, and once symptoms appear, the mortality rate is 100%. There are no medical treatments available in clinical medicine today, so prevention is crucial for rabies. Why do patients die 100% of the time after the onset of rabies?

One, the cause of death after the onset of rabies

The rabies virus is a neurotropic virus infection, which has a strong infectivity for the central nervous system. Once infected with the rabies virus, it will first breed at the wound site, then gradually penetrate from the wound, finally reaching the central nervous system, and then to every organ of the human body. The central nervous system is not可再生, once it is eroded by the rabies virus, the only thing waiting for the patient is death.

Two, the history of rabies

1. Pre-excitation phase: This is the initial stage after the sick dog bites, and the patient may have some non-specific symptoms, such as loss of appetite, headache, low fever, nausea, and vomiting. There will also be an atypical symptom of rabies: skin itching and discomfort at the bite site, indicating that the rabies virus has already begun to erode.

2. Excitement stage: Once entering this stage, the patient will show significant symptoms of rabies infection, with significant hydrophobia and photophobia, emotional excitement, and the autonomic nervous system is relatively excited. They are very different from before, and will also have convulsive symptoms, which can last for 1-3 days.

3. Paralytic stage: This is the final stage of rabies infection, which is relatively short, and the patient is about to die. The patient changes from a delirious state to a quiet state, and shows a slow onset of body paralysis symptoms, looking like numbness, and finally ends in life due to respiratory muscle paralysis and medullary paralysis.

Three, the prevention of rabies

1. Managing the pathogen: The main pathogen of rabies is the sick dog, therefore, to prevent rabies, it is necessary to manage the sick dogs well, eliminate the opportunity for the sick dogs to bite people, and in addition, dogs can be vaccinated to prevent rabies.

2. Interrupting the transmission route: Disinfect and protect the infected person, and immediately clean the wound after being bitten, which can be cleaned with soap solution for more than half an hour, and then go to the hospital for injection of rabies antiviral gamma globulin to prevent the occurrence of rabies.

3. Protecting susceptible populations: Since rabies virus is widely transmitted, vaccination is the most effective way, whether before or after being bitten, it is necessary to get rabies vaccine. Especially for those working in high-risk positions, such as those dealing with rabies virus, as well as laboratory workers dealing with other rabies-related virus infections.

Is the consciousness of a person with rabies conscious during the onset of the disease?

Patients with rabies may remain conscious most of the time, but they cannot control their muscle spasms; there are also some patients who become unconscious and talk nonsense. Rabies is not easy to make people confused, as they have symptoms and are aware of them. When rabies attacks, the patient’s consciousness is still very good, but they will feel extreme fear, afraid of water, wind, sound, and light. Especially the extreme fear of water, even hearing the sound of water can cause fainting and convulsions, hence rabies is also known as hydrophobia.