Re:First Human Case of Rabies in Illinois Since 1954
by SideburnsOfDoom on Thursday September 30, 2021 @12:11PM
(#28708002)
I understand that rabies treatment promptly after the bite ( "post-exposure prophylaxis" ) has a very good track record. (1)
But if you leave it until symptoms start, it's pretty much a death sentence. A terrible, agonising death, too. (2)
There are also vaccines, that can be taken pre-exposure. What I did not know is that they date back to 1885 (3)
1:
> Existing vaccine regimens for rabies PEP are close to 100% effective and WHO-prequalified vaccines are highly effective. The expected number of rabies deaths in patients receiving PEP after a confirmed rabies exposure is fortunately extremely low.
But if you leave it until symptoms start, it's pretty much a death sentence. A terrible, agonising death, too. (2)
There are also vaccines, that can be taken pre-exposure. What I did not know is that they date back to 1885 (3)
1:
> Existing vaccine regimens for rabies PEP are close to 100% effective and WHO-prequalified vaccines are highly effective. The expected number of rabies deaths in patients receiving PEP after a confirmed rabies exposure is fortunately extremely low.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X1...
2:
> As of 2016, only fourteen people had survived a rabies infection after showing symptoms. Rabies causes about 56,000 deaths worldwide per year
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies
3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_vaccine