Rabies Immune Globulin and The First Dose of Rabies Vaccine

Rabies is the oldest infectious disease that is spread between species. Historical evidence of rabies dates from about 2300 BC. The first written record of rabies is in the Eshnunna code (ca.1930 BC), which states that owners of rabid dogs with symptoms of rabies should take preventative measures to keep their dog away from others. If a person were to be bitten and later become ill or die, the owner would be fined heavily. During this time and for many centuries to follow, it was commonplace to kill any animal or human who showed symptoms of the disease. Today rabies incidents involving dogs in the United States are rare, but there are increasing numbers of outbreaks among the wild animal population, notably in the southern states.

Rabies does not discriminate against any warm blooded mammal; all that come into contact with the virus are at risk. Those who choose to live, work, and recreation in areas with a larger wildlife population are understandably at higher risk. People should be extremely wary of unknown animals and heed behavior changes in familiar animals. The virus is usually spread from a bite wound when the saliva of an infected animal is introduced to the victim via the bite. The virus travels from the origin of the wound to nerves and onward to ultimately infect the brain.

There is the slightest possibility of being infected by a non-bite exposure if saliva or brain matter from a rabid animal gets into the eyes, nose, mouth, or open wound. While non-bite exposures are rare, evidence does exist that transplants could be cause for concern. “The only well-documented cases of rabies caused by human-to-human transmission occurred among eight recipients of transplanted corneas, and recently among three recipients of...

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...s to warrant vaccinating the entire population. On this same note, please make sure your pets are vaccinated. While we are on top of the situation now, things spread quickly!

3) Can marine mammals get rabies? They are warm blooded mammals, but research suggests that it is highly unlikely.

Works Cited

A. Goetze, 'The laws of Eshnunna', Annual of the American Schools of Oriental Research,

vol. 31, New Haven, Conn., Department of Antiquities of the Government of Iraq and the American Schools of Oriental Research, p. 133 (# 56). 1965,

CDC, . 28 Feb 2014. .

Koprowski, H. (2009), Rabies in the Face of the 21st Century. Zoonoses and Public Health,

56: 258–261. doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2009.01266.x

Kuzmin, . N.p.. Web. 3 Mar 2014.

bulletin.org/about_rabies/classification.asp&xgt;.