Dr. Rodney Willoughby Antigen Trial Summary

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DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT
" There is not one single test to detect rabies in humans' ante-mortem (before death).11
" "Saliva can be tested by virus isolation or reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction."11
" Antibody testing is done on spinal fluid and serum to detect the rabies virus.11
" Antigen testing is performed on skin biopsies at the base of hair follicles in cutaneous nerves.11
" Dr. Rodney Willoughby was a pediatric disease specialist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee when 15-year-old, Jeanna Giese came under his care.6
" She received a tiny bite from a bat on her left index finger. Her family cleaned it and did not think to seek medical attention until 4 weeks later when hospitalized. She was suffering …show more content…

He had seizures and slipped into a coma. Everyone believed this was the end, but after a few days in a coma, the boy began to show signs of improvement.6
" Dr. Willoughby presented his idea to several very smart physicians for Jeanna Giese's situation. If any of objected, he would not proceed with his new idea - to induce a coma and place her on respiratory support, allowing the body time to fight against rabies. 6
" No one objected.6
" Dr. Willoughby presented 3 options to Jeanna's parents:6
1. Hospice care at their home until her death. 6
2. The standard critical care regimen which had never saved anyone from rabies who had not been vaccinated after exposure. 6
3. Induce a coma. (They chose this option). 6
" Jeanna was placed on an infusion of ketamine to keep her in a coma. It had proven to have an antiviral effect on rats with rabies. 6
" 7-days later, samples were taken from her blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Rabies antibodies increased. Her body was attacking the rabies.6
" As they pulled her out of the coma, she regained reflexes in her knees, began raising her eyebrows, had some eye movement, wiggled her toes, squeezed hands, and recognized her mother. She had to relearn how to talk, to crawl, and to walk, but she

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