Thru Executive Order No.84, series of 1999, March is declared every year as Rabies Awareness Month. The Department of Agriculture –Bureau of Animal Industry, as the Chair of the National Rabies Prevention and Control Committee, will spearhead the celebration of this event. RA 9482 was signed into law on May 25, 2007.
One of the advocacy campaigns of the Department of Health, Rabies awareness campaign is a year round activity highlighted on 2 occasions: March – the Rabies awareness month and September 28 – World Rabies Day. The observance aims to strengthen awareness on the prevention, control, and management of rabies.
Rabies is a viral disease caused by a Lyssavirus which is transmitted to human beings through the saliva following a bite or scratch by rabid animals. It is said that contact with the mucous membrane or an open wound can also spread the virus. It affects the nervous system of mammals, including humans. The early signs of rabies include flu-like fever, muscle weakness, and tingling. An infected person may develop the symptoms a few days after the bite or it can take 6 years before the symptoms appear. As the infection progresses into furious rabies symptoms may appear such as insomnia, agitation, anxiety, aggressiveness, muscle spasms, restlessness, confusion, hallucinations, abnormal thoughts, excess salivation, difficulty in swallowing, and fear of water. When not given immediate and proper medical attention, paralytic rabies may develop and the infected person may suffer paralysis, seizure, coma, and eventually die.
The signs of rabies include foaming of saliva in the mouth, erratic behavior such as aloofness and depression. Paralysis in animals is characterized by abnormal facial expression, drooping head, and sagging jaws. In furious rabies, an animal gnaws and bites its own limbs and may attack other animals and stationary objects.
Once bitten by an animal, the first thing to do is to clean the wound thoroughly with soap and clean water. Professional medical help should be sought immediately. Critical components of rabies prevention and control are vaccinations of household pets, along with immediate medical care for persons who are exposed to rabies.
Let us do our share in making the Philippines rabies-free by 2020. Be responsible pet owners
Symptoms and Complications
From the point where the rabies virus entered the body, the virus moves towards the brain along the nerves. A person may show the first sign of rabies an average of 1 to 3 months after the virus enters the body. In humans, the first symptoms of the disease are non-specific and resemble other viral infections. They include:
- pain or tingling at the bite site
- a general feeling of illness
- fever
- headache
- nausea and vomiting
- depression
As the virus begins to multiply in the spinal cord or brain, neurological symptoms that appear include:
- anxiety
- confusion
- excessive saliva production
- hallucinations
- high level of excitement
- insomnia
- paralysis of lower legs
- problems swallowing due to painful throat and voice box spasms
- hydrophobia (fear at the sight of water despite an intense thirst)
- restlessness
Source
https://medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/rabies
https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/03/10/awareness-march-is-rabies-awareness-month/
https://www.doh.gov.ph/national-rabies-prevention-and-control-program
