1.2.7 RABIES (Hydrophobia) IN MAN
Clinical features
Once the incubation period is competed and the virus begins to multiply in the central nervous system. Clinical signs appear. It should be noted that once clinical signs of rabies begin, there is no treatment available that will cure the poor victim. Only symptomatic therapy will be done. Death is virtually inevitable. Two major clinical patterns of rabies can be distinguished. One is the furious type and other is dump type. The majority of patient suffers furious type rabies, in which there is high-grade fever. It has three clinical stages. [10]
(A) Prodromal stage
This begins with nonspecific clinical signs that usually last from one to four days. Characteristically there is about 102 F temperature with headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise, increased fatigability, anorexia, sore throat, non-productive cough, depression and restlessness. (B) Encephalitic stage
The second stage is signaled by periods of excessive restlessness, increasing to uncontrollable great agitation and movements, confusion, hallucinations, bizarre …show more content…
1.2.8 DIAGNOSIS OF RABIES IN MAN
Any patient who develops neurological symptoms, with a history of being bitten by a rabid animal should be suspected as a case of rabies.
In cases of clinical rabies, the anti-rabies antibody titre is much higher in CSF than would be expected from passive transfer from serum. Specific diagnosis of rabies is based upon one of the following techniques employed in isolation or in combination. [12]
(i) Viral isolation from infected secretions i.e., saliva, rarely cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or brain tissue.
(ii) Serological tests performed on serum and CSF.
(iii) The demonstration of the viral antigen in infected tissue i.e., corneal impression smears, biopsies, or brain.
1.2.9 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
a.
Clinical features
Once the incubation period is competed and the virus begins to multiply in the central nervous system. Clinical signs appear. It should be noted that once clinical signs of rabies begin, there is no treatment available that will cure the poor victim. Only symptomatic therapy will be done. Death is virtually inevitable. Two major clinical patterns of rabies can be distinguished. One is the furious type and other is dump type. The majority of patient suffers furious type rabies, in which there is high-grade fever. It has three clinical stages. [10]
(A) Prodromal stage
This begins with nonspecific clinical signs that usually last from one to four days. Characteristically there is about 102 F temperature with headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise, increased fatigability, anorexia, sore throat, non-productive cough, depression and restlessness. (B) Encephalitic stage
The second stage is signaled by periods of excessive restlessness, increasing to uncontrollable great agitation and movements, confusion, hallucinations, bizarre …show more content…
1.2.8 DIAGNOSIS OF RABIES IN MAN
Any patient who develops neurological symptoms, with a history of being bitten by a rabid animal should be suspected as a case of rabies.
In cases of clinical rabies, the anti-rabies antibody titre is much higher in CSF than would be expected from passive transfer from serum. Specific diagnosis of rabies is based upon one of the following techniques employed in isolation or in combination. [12]
(i) Viral isolation from infected secretions i.e., saliva, rarely cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or brain tissue.
(ii) Serological tests performed on serum and CSF.
(iii) The demonstration of the viral antigen in infected tissue i.e., corneal impression smears, biopsies, or brain.
1.2.9 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
a.