How does rabies manifest after a rat bite? - briefly
After a rat bite, rabies incubation can range from several weeks to months, after which the infected person develops fever, headache, and general weakness followed by neurological signs such as agitation, hypersalivation, difficulty swallowing, and progressive paralysis. Without prompt post‑exposure prophylaxis, the disease culminates in coma and death.
How does rabies manifest after a rat bite? - in detail
A bite from a rodent that carries the rabies virus initiates the same pathogenic sequence observed after any mammalian exposure. After the wound closes, the virus travels retrograde along peripheral nerves toward the central nervous system. The interval between the bite and the appearance of clinical signs—known as the incubation period—varies with the bite’s location, depth, and viral load, typically ranging from two weeks to several months; bites on the face or neck shorten this interval, while those on the extremities prolong it.
When the virus reaches the brain, the disease progresses through three recognizable phases:
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Prodromal phase (1‑3 days):
- Generalized malaise, low‑grade fever, and headache.
- Localized paresthesia or itching at the bite site.
- Mild nausea or vomiting may appear.
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Acute neurologic phase (2‑7 days):
- Furious form: agitation, anxiety, hypersalivation, difficulty swallowing, and intermittent aggression; spontaneous muscle spasms, especially in the neck (opisthotonus) and limbs.
- Paralytic (dumb) form: progressive weakness beginning at the bite site, spreading to flaccid paralysis of the limbs, respiratory muscles, and eventually coma.
- Dysphagia leading to aspiration pneumonia, and cardiac arrhythmias caused by autonomic dysregulation.
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Terminal phase (hours to days):
- Respiratory failure, severe cardiovascular collapse, and death. No effective antiviral therapy exists; supportive care is the only option once symptoms manifest.
Because rodents are rarely reservoirs for the rabies virus, the probability that a rat transmits the disease is exceedingly low. Nonetheless, any bite from a potentially infected animal warrants immediate wound cleansing, administration of rabies immune globulin, and initiation of the standard post‑exposure vaccination schedule to prevent the described clinical course.