Rabies

Rabies (rabies) - an acute infectious disease that occurs after the bite of an infected animal, occurring with severe damage to the nervous system and the ending is usually fatal.
Cause. The causative agent - the rabies virus.
The sources of infection are sick animals with rabies. In Russia, there are pockets of the three types of rabies: In the western and central regions, the Volga region - natural foci, where the rabies virus circulating in the red fox (the source of the disease in 36-72% The case of), being transferred to the wolves, raccoon dogs, badgers, etc .; natural polar or arctic, hotbeds, where the virus exists in foxes; "Urban" pockets where the virus circulates among stray dogs, being transferred to cats and farm animals. The sources of infection for 60% of patients are dogs for 24% of patients - a fox, for 10% - cat, 3% - wolves and 3% - other animals. infectiousness period in animals occurs for 3-10 days before the appearance of symptoms of the disease and lasts throughout the disease.
Infection occurs when a person bites or licks or sick animals with rabies. The rabies virus is transmitted by saliva. Especially dangerous bites in the head and hands.
Diseases of the people are mainly associated with late referral bitten medical care, in violation of the regime at the time of vaccination or incompleteness of their course. Most infected after contact with sick animals not treated in medical institutions. Among the diseased quarter of the cases were children aged 4-14 years. Sick as a rule, had been in contact with sick animals in the countryside in the spring and summer months.
Man sick with rabies, contagious.
The process of developing the disease. Rabies virus enters through broken skin. The muscles of the injury it multiplies and then spreads along the nerves to the central nervous system. In it, he continues to multiply with damage to the nervous tissue and the nerves re-enters the salivary gland.
Signs. The incubation period is from 10 days to 1 year or more (on average 1-2 months). Its duration depends on the number of virus caught in the wound, the volume of the diseased tissue, the distance that the virus must overcome from the place of introduction to the central nervous system, bitten age (children shorter than in adults).
The disease begins with general malaise, headache, dry mouth, loss of appetite, a slight increase in body temperature, muscle aches, sore throat, dry cough, may be nausea and vomiting. In 50-80% of patients at the site of the bite there are unpleasant sensations (burning, drawing pains radiating to the center, itching, hypersensitivity). Sometimes scar on the former site of the bite once again turns red and swells. Patient depressed, closed, refuses to eat, it appears insomnia, nightmares, he feels an irrational fear, a sense of melancholy.
After 1-3 days the patient has a concern, anxiety and fear of water. When you try to drink, and soon at the sight of water, even at the mention of her patient a feeling of horror and painful spasms of the muscles of the pharynx and larynx, breathing becomes noisy as short convulsive sighs. Such seizures then arise at the sound of running water. Convulsions may develop from a blow in the face of the air stream, from bright light, noise, touch to the skin. The patient becomes aggressive, violent. He disturbed consciousness, there are convulsions, paralysis. Death occurs from respiratory paralysis. The duration of the disease is not more than a week.
Urgent care. If signs of sickness in humans, which previously biter, you should immediately seek medical attention.
Prevention of disease. Measures for the prevention of rabies in animals are to regulate the density of wild animals; catching of stray dogs and cats; compliance with the rules of the content of domestic dogs (registration, the use of muzzles, the content on a leash, etc...); mandatory annual preventive vaccination of dogs against rabies.
Preventive immunization course is available to persons professionally associated with the risk of rabies (sobakolovy, fishers, hunters, veterinarians and others.).
Dogs, cats and other animals that have bitten humans or animals, are subject to immediate delivery to the owner of the nearest veterinary hospital for inspection and quarantine under the supervision of experts within 10 days. The results of observations of animals in the form of a written report karantinirovannymi medical institution in which the affected person vaccinated. If the animal during this observation has not fallen, probably it healthy.
After receiving damage from an animal should immediately contact the nearest medical facility. All hospital, out-patient clinics for handling persons bitten, scratched, or licks on any animal shall immediately provide first aid to the victim. Wounds, scratches, abrasions, places or licks should be rinsed with plenty of running water and soap, treat the wound edges 40-70% cpirtom or iodine tincture, apply a sterile bandage. Then you need to follow in the emergency station (office), and in its absence - in the surgery for the purpose and the course of vaccination against rabies. The sooner these vaccinations began, the success is more likely. The antibodies after vaccination appear in 12-14 days.
The apartment, where he was a patient with rabies, final disinfection is carried out.
Persons with skin or mucous membranes which fell sick person saliva, held a course of vaccination against rabies.