• Question: how do you cure rabies

    Asked by xcraftgh to Dilwar, Lou, Rachel, Simon, Susan on 11 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Simon Langley-Evans

      Simon Langley-Evans answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      Rabies is caused by a virus, so the only way it can be cured is to give an affected person a vaccine against it. This switches on the immune system to fight the virus for itself. The patient would also be given antibodies that destroy the rabies vaccine. These antibodies are what the body will make for itself eventually, but as it takes time for the immune system to get going, the antibodies give things a kickstart. The treatments have to be injected in a horrible way- straight into the abdomen. It is painful.

    • Photo: Louise Brown

      Louise Brown answered on 11 Nov 2013:

      By catching it very very quickly and giving the injections Simon mentioned! If a person has already started to show signs of having rabies, it is usually too late and they can not recover. However, 5 people have been saved by inducing a coma and letting their immune system fight the virus!

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