Rabies is...

Rabies is...

• A. A zoonotic disease caused by a Rhabdoviridae family virus that attacks the nervous system and is fatal if it reaches the brain.
• B. A bacterial infection transmitted by bites.
• C. An insect-borne disease affecting the lungs.
• D. A non-infectious neurological condition.

Answer: (A)

Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease caused by a member of the Rhabdoviridae family that attacks the nervous system and is fatal once the brain is reached. It is transmitted mainly through the saliva of an infected animal, typically via bites, though exposure to infected neural tissue or mucous membranes is possible. It is not bacterial, nor insect-borne, nor non-infectious. In wildlife rehabilitation, this means any suspected case requires strict precautions, reporting to public health authorities, and testing of brain tissue after death for confirmation; humans exposed to saliva or tissue may require post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent disease, and there is no effective treatment once neurologic signs appear.

Rabies is a zoonotic viral disease caused by a member of the Rhabdoviridae family that attacks the nervous system and is fatal once the brain is reached. It is transmitted mainly through the saliva of an infected animal, typically via bites, though exposure to infected neural tissue or mucous membranes is possible. It is not bacterial, nor insect-borne, nor non-infectious. In wildlife rehabilitation, this means any suspected case requires strict precautions, reporting to public health authorities, and testing of brain tissue after death for confirmation; humans exposed to saliva or tissue may require post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent disease, and there is no effective treatment once neurologic signs appear.