Causes of Rabies

Rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system of a human being. Rabies virus can be infected to a person in several ways. Animal bites, exposure to virus and transmission from one human to another are the major causes of rabies. This rabies virus is harmful to the brain and it also can be the cause of mortality in some cases.

Causes of Rabies

The major factors that transmit the rabies virus are given below:

Rabid Animal's Bite

It is the most common way of the rabies virus infection. The virus usually transmits into humans by the bite of an infected animal. These rabid animals generally include dogs and cats. First, the rabies virus transmits from one infected animal to another through the saliva and sometimes because of bites.

When these infected animals comes into the contact of humans or bite a person the virus transmits through the saliva into the blood of that person. Hence, it is the easiest way for the infection of rabies virus. The animals include-

It is also noteworthy that these animals have different types of rabies viruses. These viruses can cause encephalitis in human as well as in animals.

Non-bite Exposure

Some times the infected animals come into the contact of humans. Mostly the chances increase when the domestic animals are very close to the owner or the members of the family in which the animal is living. Theses animals transmit the rabies virus through licking.

Human Rabies Virus Transmission

In some cases, the rabies infected person can spread the rabies virus to the other humans. If the infected person's saliva comes into the contact with other person, that person too gets infection by rabies. Therefore, the best way to prevent its spread is to avoid contact with the affected person's any internal fluid.

As per the report based on the research, 90% spread of rabies virus is because of wild animal's bite in United States. Small rodents like mice, squirrels, rats, gerbils have not found with rabies infection. Hence, the bites from these animals are not taken as the cause of rabies unless the virus has spread very much in that area and the animal is normal.

Rabies viruses belong to the Rhabdoviridae family. After the bite of an animal, the rabies virus travels through the blood vessels and the muscles. Slowly, these viruses attack the brain that causes the severe damage to the brain. These injures may remain permanent and can also result into the death of that person.