Rabies Identification

Rabies is a deadly disease passed between mammals via the saliva. Animals infected with rabies typically pass it along to humans through a bite. In the United States, the animals most likely to have rabies include bats, foxes and raccoons.

Identification in Animals

• Animals with rabies will react in one of two ways. The most common way is through unprovoked aggressiveness with increased saliva that foams at the mouth. These animals are likely to bite a person and transmit the disease. An animal may also act very docile. When a wild animal does not run from humans, which is typical, they may have what is called dumb rabies.

Human Symptoms

• Humans will not show any symptoms of having rabies until late into the disease, at which point there may not be a cure for it. These symptoms include fever, headaches, a fear of water, difficulty swallowing, anxiety, confusion, excessive salivation and partial paralysis.

Tests & Treatment

• Blood and tissue samples help identify rabies in a human. Rabies is usually confirmed in animals through blood samples and by investigating the animal's brain. A rabies vaccine should be administered immediately if an infected animal bites a person to prevent the rabies from spreading.