Rabies the Fatal Disease

Rabies: A Fatal Disease in Wild Life and Man Kind

Abstract: Rabies is a dangerous disease that affects both animals and humans. Rabies is caused by the lyssa virus and is almost 100% fatal. The majority of the people infected die from it but there have been a small number of miraculous cases where people have survived. One very special case took place in the life of Jeanna Giese because she recovered without the use of rabies vaccines. There are four FDA approved vaccines for public usage but they are not guaranteed to cure. Rabies affects many people around the world, especially in underdeveloped nations. It is a very serious disease and is preventable if treatment is received before any symptoms show up.

Rabies usually brings to mind a dog going mad. But in reality, rabies not only infects animas, but also humans as well. Rabies is caused by the lyssa virus and is often referred to as a “slow” virus because it takes a long time for the symptoms to appear (up to a year) (King County paragraph 1). This virus hides in the host’s immune system so the immune system cannot detect it, and consequently cannot fight it off (Easmon paragraph 7). Rabies is a bullet-shaped particle with a helical structure that contains a protein layer (Kaplan et al. 22-23). This small particle can be very deadly but death can be prevented if the action of going to a doctor is taken early. Rabies is a very serious virus. The case study of the only girl that survived rabies, the symptoms of rabies, and vaccines for rabies will be discussed later on.

Rabies attacks the nervous system and can cause severe damage to the body. Rabies is a dangerous disease that affects many people all over the world, especially those who spend a lot of time out in nature. R...

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