By Eduardo Gonzales, MD
Is it true that cats can also transmit rabies? What should we do when we get bitten by a dog or a cat? —[email protected]
Yes, like dogs, cats can also transmit rabies to humans. In fact, rabies, which is a highly fatal viral disease, can also be transmitted to humans by many other warm-blooded animals such as rats and bats, but in the Philippines, practically all cases of human rabies are due to dog or cat bites.
Dog and cats get infected with the rabies virus when they get bitten by other infected animals. An infected dog or cat will invariably manifest signs and symptoms of rabies within five days and die within two weeks after it gets infected with the virus. These signs and symptoms include hydrophobia (fear of water), foaming at the mouth, disorientation, uncoordination, and staggering, paralysis of the hind legs, loss of appetite, weakness, seizures, and aggressiveness—the reason rabid cats and dogs bite even when unprovoked.
Rabies in Humans
The rabies virus, which is present in the saliva of an infected animal, is passed on to a human through a bite or, rarely, when the animal’s saliva gets in contact with a scratch or fresh break in the skin. It can also be transmitted by a cat or dog when it scratches a person with its paws because dogs and cats regularly lick their paws. Incidentally, humans cannot get infected with the rabies virus by eating the meat of a rabid animal, provided it is cooked.
In humans, it takes two to eight weeks—sometimes longer—from the time of the animal bite for signs and symptoms of rabies to appear, by which time, the bite wound has already completely healed, although occasionally, there may be a lingering discomfort or numbness at the site of the bite. Rabies primarily affects the central nervous system. Its early symptoms are similar to those of many other infections—fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. As the disease progresses, more specific symptoms appear, including insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, salivation, difficulty in swallowing, hydrophobia, and seizures.
There is no cure for rabies. Once signs and symptoms of the disease have appeared, death usually occurs within seven to 10 days. To date, only a handful of people have been known to have survived a bout with rabies and all the survivors are people who developed the disease after they were already given pre- or post exposure prophylaxis.
Rabies in the Philippines
Rabies is a serious public health problem in our country. The Philippines is among the top 10 countries with the highest incidence of the disease in the world. Department of Health (DOH) officials estimate that about 100,000 Filipinos are treated for dog bites and 200 to 300 people die from rabies annually.
Among Filipinos, dogs account for 98 percent of rabies infection, cats account for the remaining two percent.
What to do in case of a dog or cat bite
- Wash the wound immediately with soap and water then bring the victim to a doctor or to the nearest Animal Bite Treatment Center for post exposure prophylaxis treatment. This treatment consists of several doses, some days apart, of rabies vaccine, and, when necessary depending on the category of exposure, a single dose of human rabies immune globulin, all given in the form of injections. In addition, if the wounds are deep and the victim has no immunization against tetanus, tetanus serum, and toxoid injections have to be administered too. Home medications consisting of a course of antibiotics may also be necessary for deep and/or dirty wounds.
- If the biting dog or cat has been apprehended, do not kill it. Place it in a cage and observe it. Unusual behavior or death of the animal is presumptive evidence of rabies. Alternately, you can bring the animal to a properly equipped center where it can be “put to sleep” and its brain examined for rabies. One such center is the Regional Institute of Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Email inquiries on health matters to: [email protected]