Symptoms of Rabies

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Rabies begins with pain or tingling at the site of the bite, fever, loss of appetite and headache. During the next few days there is a growing sense of anxiety, jumpiness, disorientation, neck stiffness, and sometimes seizures (fits) or convulsions (violent or sudden movements). The pupils may appear dilated (enlarged) and there may be an increased sensitivity to sound, light and temperature.

Within a week, many infected people show a fear of swallowing. In spite of overwhelming thirst, any attempt to drink causes violent spasms of the throat muscles and diaphragm (muscle under the lungs) with gagging, choking and a growing sense of panic. This is called hydrophobia (fear of water). As it worsens, even the sight or sound of water brings on these effects and there are intervals of deranged behaviour with thrashing, spitting, biting and delirium. Delusions and hallucinations develop.

These attacks alternate with periods of clear-mindedness when the person suffers acute anxiety and mental distress. The nerves controlling eye movement and facial expression become paralysed and the heart and lungs begin to fail. Total paralysis, coma and death follow in almost 100% of cases, usually about a week after the severe symptoms develop, if they are untreated.