RABIES

  • Also known as hydrophobia, lyssa, mad dog, habhoo, jalantaka
  • Highly fatal to warm blooded animals and mostly transmitted through bite of rabid dogs.
  • It is characterised by altered behaviour, nervous disturbances, impairment of consciousness, ascending paralysis, death

ETIOLOGY

  • Family- Rhabdovirus
  • Genus- Lyssa virus
  • Neurotropic in nature
  • ANIMALS SUSCEPTIBLE
  • All warm blooded animals
  • Foxes extremely susceptible
  • Cattle, rabbits and cats highly susceptible
  • MODE OF TRANSMISSION
  • Transmission occurs mostly through biting, scratching, licking on broken skin and on intact mucous membrane by an infected animal.
  • CLINICAL SYMPTOMS
  • In cattle usually occurs in two forms furious and dumb form.
  • Furious form-
  • Appears alert with hypersensitive to sound and movement
  • More violent and attacks other animals and inanimate objects
  • Loud bellowing with harsh sound is noticed
  • Incoordination of gait is seen
  • Sexual excitement, bull mount inanimate objects
  • Severe sign for 24-48 hrs, collapses suddenly and die within few hours.
  • Paralytic form-
  • Cattle most susceptible, incubation period varies from 2 wks to several months.
  • Knuckling of hind fetlock occurs with sagging and swaying of hind quarters while walking.
  • Drooling of saliva with voice less attempts to bellow
  • Paralysis of anus and penis
  • Animal lie down and may not rise or stand up due to paralysis of limbs
  • Die within 48 hrs of recumbency
  • Total course 6-7 days

DIAGNOSIS

  • Clinical sign sufficient for presumptive diagnosis
  • History of dog bite
  • Confinement and observation for 10 days, rabid animals die within 10 days
  • Histopathology using methylene blue stain or sellars method
  • Mouse inoculation test
  • Virus isolation in cell culture
  • Molecular techniques like RT-PCR, ISH, dot Immunobinding assay, FAT

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

  • Acute and subacute lead poisoning
  • Lactation tetany
  • Avitaminosis A
  • Nervous form of ketosis

TREATMENT

  • No specific treatment only symptomatic treatment
  • Proper wound care reduces risk upto 50-70%
  • Wash under running water for 10 mins, clean with any soap and apply antiseptic like Dettol, savlon or povidone iodine
  • Do not bandage or suture the wound
  • Discourage local application of turmeric, neem, lime etc as they may act as irritant and propel the virus forward.
  • Sedative for dog- chlorpromazine 1-2mg/kg bwt

VACCINATION

  • Novibac Rabies
  • Virbac rabies
  • Abhayrab
  • Post bite vaccination- 0,3,7,14,28 and 90th day
  • Dose- 1ml s/c or i/m
  • Trade name- candur- R, Defensor, rakshyarab

CONTROL

  • Eliminating exposure to rabid animals
  • Passive and active immunization to domestic animals
  • Pre exposure vaccination and management
  • Registration or license of all dogs and dog population management