U.S. Health Watch

Rabies here. Have you ever wondered what i am really all about? Most people just think that i make dogs become angry and foam from the mouth. Well that hardly does my name justice! Try this on for size; I am a viral disease which causes minor encephalitis, and can effect animals AND humans. How’s that!

Granted, I tend to stick with warm blooded carnivors as my prey, but don’t think I can only get at dogs! Any animal on the planet is susceptible to my infection. My greatest power is not well known among the human population. I am uncureable! “Till death do us part” as they say. Once i have found my way into a humans system, I almost invariably kill. The only thing you can do to stop me is prevent me. Vaccination is my worst enemy. If I am caught in time, vaccinations will sometimes lead to my demise instead of yours, but don’t count on it.

I only generally jump from one host to the next through biting. “Why don’t we stop biting each other?” you ask? Because you can’t! I can make you crazy. I ensure my generation to continue by causing you to be a vicious animal. Now that I think about it, I am downright cruel!

But now that I have scared you, I must come clean. Humans are not my favorite friends. It’s hard to make you crazy. For the most part, if you are bitten by a rabid animal, you will die unless treated quickly, and that is where it stops. Occasionally I hop to another person through kisses, but for the most part, I tend to stay out of your way. But none the less, be careful!