Don't get bit by raccoons or woodchucks Flashcards
Fatal viral encephalitis of mammals
Rabies
How is rabies transmitted?
Saliva of infected animals
Common animals to spread rabies?
Raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, cats, woodchuck (LOL)
When direct contact occurs with an animal that could be infected with rabies, what should you dO?
Capture and submit for testing
The rabies virus must replicate in ____ BEFORE it enters salivary glands
CNS
Where does rabies live in infected animals?
Saliva
Brain
Spinal cord
Can you get rabies from petting an infected animal
No, but you shouldn’t be petting raccoons anyways you crazy person
What is the principal vector of human rabies cases?
Bats
How do you know if you should test a person for rabies or not when they are exposed to a bat?
Any direct physical contact with a bat should be considered a possible rabies exposure
When do you not need PEP when a person is in close contact with a bat?
If the bat is available and tests negative for rabies
Overt signs of rabies will always develop within ____ days of presence of virus in saliva
10
What is the incubation period for human rabies?
4-12 weeks
How long is the prodrome phase of human rabies?
2-10 days
What are the prodrome symptoms of rabies?
Paresthesias at site of wound, nonspecific constitutional illness (fever, headache, anorexia)
How long does the acute neurologic phase of rabies last?
2-7 days
Signs of encephalitis (MS changes, paresis and paralysis, hyperactivity, aphasia), hyper salivation, myoclonus, agitation and anxiety occur within what phase of human rabies infection?
Acute neurologic phase
Coma, dysrythmias, DIC, and death occur within which phase of a human rabies infection?
Late stage
What is the post-exposure immunization immune globulin?
Human Rabies Immune globulin (HRIG)
Who needs PEP
- Persons bitten by animal known to be rabid
- Persons bitten by an animal likely to be rabid but unavailable for testing
- Persons bitten by a raccoon, skunk, fox, bat or other carnivore that could not be tested
- Certain other “non bite” exposures
What are the per protocols for patients who are bitten and have not been previously vaccinated?
- Cleansing and irrigation of wound
- Vaccine (IM Deltoid) on days 0, 3, 7, 14
- HRIG infiltrated in and around the wound with residual in gluteus
If a patient has been previously vaccinated for rabies, what do you do differently if they are bitten again?
Don’t give them HRIG
What type of staining is done to test an animal that could possibly have rabies?
Direct fluorescent antibody stains
