Rabies in Humans: Understanding the Signs and Getting Help
Rabies is a deadly viral disease that affects the nervous system. While uncommon in India due to successful vaccination programs for domestic animals, it’s crucial to be aware of the symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if exposed. This article provides a comprehensive overview of rabies in humans, including its symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention.
Rabies Virus
The rabies virus is transmitted through the saliva of infected mammals, most commonly through bites. In India, dog bites are the primary concern, but bites from bats, monkeys, and jackals can also transmit rabies. Once the virus enters the body, it travels through nerves to the brain, causing progressive damage.
Rabies Symptoms in Humans
Rabies symptoms typically develop over a period of weeks, though the incubation period can vary from days to years. Early signs can be flu-like, including:
- Fever
- Headache
- General malaise (feeling unwell)
- Unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensations near the bite wound
As the virus invades the central nervous system, more severe symptoms emerge. These can be categorized into two main forms of rabies:
- Furious Rabies: This form is characterized by:
- Hyperactivity
- Aggression
- Anxiety
- Difficulty swallowing (hydrophobia) – the hallmark symptom, causing fear of water due to spasms in the throat muscles
- Excessive salivation
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Paralytic Rabies: This form is less common and progresses slower, with:
- Muscle weakness
- Paralysis, starting from the bite site and spreading
Importantly, not everyone will experience all these symptoms. However, if you suspect rabies exposure, seeking medical attention immediately is critical.
Rabies Antibody Test
The diagnosis of rabies usually involves a combination of tests. A rabies antibody test can be conducted on a blood or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sample. This test detects antibodies produced by the body’s immune system in response to the rabies virus.
Rabies Blood Test for Humans
The blood test for rabies antibodies is a non-invasive procedure. A healthcare professional will draw a small amount of blood and send it to a laboratory for analysis.
Rabies Test Kit for Humans
There is no commercially available rabies test kit for home use. Diagnosis is done by qualified medical professionals using specialized laboratory techniques.
Rabies Test Cost
The cost of a rabies antibody test at DNA Labs India is . It’s advisable to contact your doctor or a diagnostic center for specific pricing information.
Rabies Vaccine
Rabies is a preventable disease. Vaccination is the most effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones. If you are bitten by an animal, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) involving rabies shots can be very effective, but only if administered promptly.
Remember, once symptoms develop, rabies is almost invariably fatal.
Incubation Period of Rabies
The incubation period for rabies varies depending on the location of the bite wound and the amount of virus entering the body. It typically ranges from two weeks to three months, but can extend up to a year in rare cases.
Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for preventing rabies. If you have been bitten by an animal, especially a stray or unvaccinated animal, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
By understanding the symptoms and importance of timely medical intervention, you can protect yourself and your family from rabies.
| Test Name | Rabies antibody test for humans |
|---|---|
| Sample type | 2 mL (1 mL min.) serum . |
| Test type | Physician |
| Pre-test Information | No special preparation required |
| Disease | Viral |
| Method | Antibody |
| Purpose | The rabies virus, transmitted through infected mammal saliva (usually through bites), primarily from dogs in India. It travels through nerves to the brain, causing progressive damage. |
| Preparation | Room Temperature: 2 hrs, Refrigerator:48 hrs, Frozen: 2 weeks |
| Fasting | Not Required |
| Get Reports | 1 week |
| Test Price | 2000 INR |
Note: We offer free home sample collection for online bookings for Rabies antibody test and the test costs a special discounted price of 2000 INR across India. The cities where this service is available include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Surat, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Nagpur, Indore, Thane, Bhopal, Visakhapatnam, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Patna, Vadodara, Ghaziabad, Ludhiana, Agra, Nashik, Faridabad, Meerut, Rajkot, Kalyan-Dombivali, Vasai-Virar, Varanasi, Srinagar, Aurangabad, Dhanbad, Amritsar, Navi Mumbai, Prayagraj, Howrah, Ranchi, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Coimbatore, Vijayawada, Jodhpur, Madurai, Raipur, Kota, Guwahati, Chandigarh, Thiruvananthapuram, Solapur, Hubballi-Dharwad, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruppur, Moradabad, Mysore, Bareily, Gurgaon, Aligarh, Jalandhar, Bhubaneswar, Salem, Mira-Bhayandar, Warangal , Guntur , Bhiwandi, Saharanpur, Gorakhpur, Bikaner, Amravati, Noida, Jamshedpur, Bhilai, Cuttack, Firozabad, Kochi, Nellore , Bhavnagar, Dehradun, Durgapur, Asansol, Rourkela, Nanded, Kolhapur, Ajmer, Akola, Gulbarga, Jamnagar, Ujjain, Loni, Siliguri, Jhansi, Ulhasnagar, Jammu, Sangli-Miraj & Kupwad, Mangalore, Erode10, Belgaum, Ambattur, Tirunelveli, Malegaon, Gaya, Jalgaon, Udaipur, Maheshtala, Davanagere, Kozhikode, Kurnool, Rajpur Sonarpur, Rajahmundry , Bokaro, South Dumdum, Bellary, Patiala, Gopalpur, Agartala, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarnagar, Bhatpara, Panihati, Latur, Dhule, Tirupati , Rohtak, Korba, Bhilwara, Berhampur, Muzaffarpur, Ahmednagar, Mathura, Kollam, Avadi, Kadapa, Kamarhati, Sambalpur, Bilaspur, Shahjahanpur, Satara, Bijapur, Rampur, Shivamogga, Chandrapur, Junagadh, Thrissur, Alwar, Bardhaman, Kulti, Kakinada, Nizamabad, Parbhani, Tumkur, Khammam, Ozhukarai, Bihar Sharif, Panipat, Darbhanga, Bally, Aizawl, Dewas, Ichalkaranji, Karnal, Bathinda, Jalna, Eluru, Kirari Suleman Nagar, Barasat, Purnia, Satna, Mau, Sonipat, Farrukhabad, Sagar, Rourkela, Durg, Imphal, Ratlam, Hapur, Arrah, Karimnagar, Anantapur, Etawah, Ambernath, North Dumdum, Bharatpur, Begusarai, New Delhi, Gandhidham, Baranagar, Tiruvottiyur, Puducherry, Sikar, Thoothukudi, Rewa, Mirzapur, Raichur, Pali, Ramagundam , Haridwar, Vijayanagaram, Katihar, Nagarcoil, Sri Ganganagar, Karawal Nagar, Mango, Thanjavur, Bulandshahr, Uluberia, Murwara, Sambhal, Singrauli, Nadiad, Secunderabad, Naihati, Yamunanagar, Bidhan Nagar, Pallavaram, Bidar, Munger, Panchkula, Burhanpur, Raurkela Industrial Township, Kharagpur, Dindigul, Gandhinagar, Hospet, Nangloi Jat, Malda, Ongole, Deoghar, Chapra, Haldia, Khandwa, Nandyal, Chittoor , Morena, Amroha, Anand, Bhind, Bhalswa Jahangir Pur, Madhyamgram, Bhiwani, Navi Mumbai Panvel Raigad, Baharampur, Ambala, Morvi, Fatehpur, Rae Bareli, Khora, Bhusawal, Orai, Bahraich, Vellore, Mahesana, Sambalpur, Raiganj, Sirsa, Danapur, Serampore, Sultan Pur Majra, Guna, Jaunpur, Panvel, Shivpuri, Surendranagar Dudhrej, Unnao, Hugli and Chinsurah, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Machilipatnam, Shimla, Adoni, Tenali, Proddatur, Saharsa, Hindupur, Sasaram, Hajipur, Bhimavaram, Dehri, Madanapalle, Siwan, Bettiah, Guntakal, Srikakulam, Motihari, Dharmavaram, Gudivada, Narasaraopet, Bagaha, Miryalaguda, Tadipatri, Kishanganj, Karaikudi, Suryapet, Jamalpur, Kavali, Tadepalligudem, Amaravati, Buxar, Jehanabad, Aurangabad.
