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Rabies Fact Sheet

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says rabies kill thousands of people every year, though the disease is completely preventable by vaccination.

  1. Significance

    • Rabies, caused by a virus, kills nearly 55,000 people a year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that someone will die from rabies every 10 minutes this year.

    Causes

    • You can contract rabies by being bitten by an infected animal or through the exchange of saliva with a person or animal that has the disease.

    Who Can Get Rabies?

    • Every mammal is susceptible to rabies. A mammal is an organism that gives live birth, produces milk for its offspring and has a body bearing any amount of hair. Humans are classified as mammals.

    Effects

    • Rabies harms the infected person or animal by attacking the central nervous system, which includes the spinal cord and brain. If no medical attention is sought, the attack will lead to death.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Animals and humans can receive a vaccine that will prevent them from getting the disease. Even if a person or animal has already been infected with the disease, a vaccine can be given to prevent a fatality.

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