Rabies

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Central nervous system

Rabies

• Low-grade fever (102 degrees F or lower)
• Pain at the site of the bite
• Exaggerated sensation at the bite site
• Swallowing difficulty (drinking produces spasms of the larynx) or swallowing difficulty with liquids only
• Restlessness
• Excitability
• Muscle spasms
• Convulsions
• Numbness and tingling
• Loss of muscle function
• Loss of feeling in an area of the body
• Drooling
• Anxiety, stress, and tension
• Positive Babinski's reflex

If an animal bites you, try to gather as much information about the animal as possible. Call your local animal control authorities to safely capture the animal. If rabies is suspected, the animal will be watched for signs of rabies.

A special test called immunofluorescence is used to look at the brain tissue after an animal is dead. This test can reveal whether or not the animal had rabies.

The same test can be used to check for rabies in humans, using a piece of skin from the neck. Doctors may also look for the rabies virus in your saliva or spinal fluid.

Review Date: 01/06/2006
Reviewed By: Monica Gandhi MD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.