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What Is Rabies?
What Is Rabies?
What is Rabies?
Pathophysiology
Etiology
Statistics and Incidences
Clinical Manifestations
Assessment and Diagnostic Findings
Medical Management
o Pharmacologic Management
Nursing Management
o Nursing Assessment
o Nursing Diagnosis
o Nursing Care Planning and Goals
o Nursing Interventions
o Evaluation
o Documentation Guidelines
Summary
References
What is Rabies?
Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease that primarily affects the
central nervous system (CNS).
The word “rabies” comes from the Latin word meaning “to rage.”
The fatal madness of rabies has been described throughout recorded
history, and its association with rabid canines is well known.
In the 19th century, Pasteur developed a vaccine that successfully
prevented rabies after inoculation and launched a new era of hope
in the management of this uniformly fatal disease.
It can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a
rabid animal.
If a person does not receive the appropriate medical care after a
potential rabies exposure, the virus can cause disease in the brain,
ultimately resulting in death.
Pathophysiology
Pathophysiology has been best characterized in canine rabies variants.
Etiology
Rabies is caused by a neurotropic virus of the family Rhabdoviridae, genus
Lyssavirus, subgroup rabies virus.
Clinical Manifestations
After a bite or other rabies exposure, the rabies virus has to travel through
the body to the brain before it can cause symptoms; this time between the
exposure and the appearance of symptoms is called the incubation period,
and it may last for weeks to months.
Medical Management
Medical care of a patient with rabies may include:
Pharmacologic Management
Before the onset of rabies symptoms, passive and active immunizations are
effective in preventing progression to full-blown rabies.
Nursing Management
Nursing management of a patient with rabies include the following:
Nursing Assessment
Assessment of a patient with rabies include:
Nursing Diagnosis
Based on the assessment data, the major nursing diagnosis for a patient with
rabies are:
Nursing Interventions
Nursing interventions for a patient with rabies are:
Evaluation
Goals are met for a patient with rabies as evidenced by:
Documentation Guidelines
Documentation in a patient with rabies include:
Summary
Here are some of the most important points about rabies:
Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system
(CNS).
It can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a
rabid animal.
The virus is commonly transmitted via saliva that contaminates
bites, scratches, and wounds, and, recently, via mucosal exposure.
Each year, rabies causes approximately 59,000 deaths worldwide.
The first symptoms of rabies may be very similar to those of the flu
including general weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache; these
symptoms may last for days.
Hydrophobia and aerophobia are pathognomonic for rabies and
occur in 50% of patients.
In animals, rabies is diagnosed using the direct fluorescent antibody
(DFA) test, which looks for the presence of rabies virus antigens in
brain tissue.
Washing and wound debridement at the time of a bite is essential,
along with careful cleaning of the wound for longer than 10 minutes.
Intensive cardiopulmonary supportive care is the only treatment
available for patients with symptomatic rabies.
Rabies immunoglobulin is recommended as part of the rabies
postexposure regimen for persons not previously immunized against
rabies.