human rabies deaths in the United States were caused by variants of rabies virus associated with bats” (Close 95). Though the incubation period may be anywhere from 21 days to 120 days, the average is approximately one month. In animals Rabies consists of two forms. The first is an irritable rabies and the second is a paralytic rabies. Irritable or furious rabies is similar to the rabies course in humans and will be discussed later. Paralytic or dumb rabies the irritable phase is temporary or absent altogether. The paralysis first affects the jaws and muscles, which makes it difficult to swallow food or water.
The above scenario is why the disease is sometimes called hydrophobia or fear of water, because even the sight of water can cause contractions of the throat muscles in those afflicted with rabies. Rabies vaccines for domestic animals have greatly reduced the occurrence of rabies in humans and programs now exist to help vaccinate many wild animals already listed above. There are warning signs in animals and care needs taken around wild animals in general, “Loss of coordination, increased aggressiveness or even a strange meow or bark in an unvaccinated pet may be a sign that it should be confined and watched for ten days. When confronted with a wild animal behaving unnaturally, people should resist the impulse to help and should notify the police. If a nocturnal animal like a raccoon is on a main street at noon in New York, one should assume it’s rabid” (Linden 58). Experts caution wild animals should always be observed from a distance.
In humans, rabies takes only the irritable form and its course is wellknown. Where the infected person suffered the bite the healed wound becomes painful and sensitive. The tissues around the wound may become numb. In this initial phase which only lasts about 48 hours, the victim may feel depressed and anxiety ridden. The stage following is the excitation stage. In ...