Is Rabies Curable?

Rabies is, to quote the Mayo Clinic, a “deadly virus spread to people from the saliva of infected animals,” usually through a bite. It is treatable up until the victim begins showing signs or symptoms.

Time Frame

• Symptoms of rabies in a human can develop anywhere from 10 days to 7 years. A bite victim must seek treatment within 2 days for the best prognosis.

Treatment

• Treatment involves a series of five relatively painless immune globulin injections in the arm (no longer in the sternum), over a course of 28 days.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of rabies, according to the Mayo Clinic, include fever, headache, agitation, confusion and anxiety, difficulty swallowing, excess salivation, and fear of water.

Prognosis

• Treatment for individuals who seek attention within a few days of a bite has proven 100 percent effective in curing the disease. The fatality rate is 100 percent after the onset of symptoms.

Treating Animals

• Veterinarians do not treat animals with rabies or animals that have been bitten by animals with rabies; they euthanize the animals.