Can rabies be inherited?

Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
Updated on September 01, 2024
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Rabies is an infectious disease, not a hereditary disease, and there is no possibility of it being inherited. It is mainly caused by being bitten by dogs, cats, or bats carrying the rabies virus. If timely treatment and intervention are not administered after being bitten by these animals, there is a chance of contracting the rabies virus. The rabies virus attacks the human nervous system and eventually proliferates extensively in the brain, leading to the exhaustion of brain functions and resulting in death.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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rabies incubation period

The incubation period for rabies is one to three months, and it is rare for it to exceed one year. The length of the incubation period for rabies varies, the shortest being about five days and the longest can reach up to eight years, with an average incubation period of one to three months. Cases exceeding one year account for about 2%-3%. The length of the incubation period for rabies is closely related to several factors including the virulence of the virus, and the nerve distribution at the site of entry. The more viruses there are, the stronger their virulence, and the richer the nerve supply at the entry site, especially closer to the central nervous system, the shorter the incubation period.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
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Can rabies be cured?

Rabies is a fatal disease, resulting in a 100% fatality rate once infected. It cannot be completely cured. The reason rabies leads to 100% mortality is that after the rabies virus infects the human body, it continuously ascends to the brain, where it proliferates extensively, destroying brain tissue and leading to brain function depletion, a condition that is untreatable. Therefore, in dealing with rabies, it is crucial to focus on prevention. If exposed to rabies, it is necessary to receive the rabies vaccine.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Is rabies contagious?

Rabies is a contagious disease, and currently, rabies is primarily transmitted by bites or scratches from rabid dogs. Additionally, there are risks of infection from bites by cats during their symptomatic phase, as well as from bats. Transmission from human to human is extremely rare. The rabies virus mainly resides in the saliva of dogs or cats during their symptomatic phase. Therefore, the risk is significant if bitten by a rabid dog. Rabies is a fatal disease, with an infection leading to 100% mortality, which makes prevention crucial.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Rabies is transmitted by what?

Rabies is an infectious disease primarily caused by bites from rabid dogs. According to the epidemiology of rabies in our country, it is mostly contracted from dog bites when no rabies vaccine has been administered. Of course, there is also a risk of infection from scratches by cats or dogs during their infectious periods or bites from infected cats, as well as scratches from bats carrying the rabies virus. To date, there have been no reported cases of human-to-human transmission. Rabies is a fatal disease, with a 100% fatality rate upon infection, thus prevention is crucial.

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Written by Xiong Hong Hai
Infectious Disease
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Symptoms of the incubation period of rabies

Rabies has no obvious symptoms during the incubation period. Some people might feel as if ants are biting at the wound site, while others may display symptoms of fatigue and lack of energy; however, the vast majority of people do not show any clear characteristic symptoms. The incubation period for rabies can range from one to three months, and it is rare for it to extend beyond one year. The duration of the incubation period is highly dependent on the location of the bite; the farther from the head, the longer the incubation period. Conversely, the closer to the head and face, the shorter the incubation period.