Title: Rabies--possibly coming to an ED near you?<br/>Author: Andrea Tenner<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/1069/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><div>
<strong><u>Background</u></strong></div>
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The US tends to average about 2-3 cases of rabies in humans per year</li>
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However, around 6,000 animal cases are reported yearly in the US, so the potential for infection is there.</li>
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Most cases are acquired through contact with infected animals: generally bats, foxes, and unvaccinated dogs (this is a huge problem in low- and middle-income countries)</li>
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Of note, in 2013, a human case was reported in Maryland that was acquired through organ transplantation from an infected donor</li>
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<b><u>Clinical Presentation</u></b></p>
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Rabies is, initially, a clinical diagnosis. To see what a patient with rabies looks like, check out this 3 minute YouTube video: (There is a bit of commentary by the person who posted it at the beginning that you might want to skip through.)</p>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZbrNN9KeUI">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZbrNN9KeUI</a> </p>
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<strong><u>Bottom Line</u></strong></p>
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Rabies, while a rare disease in the US, can occur through either contact with infected animals (especially while traveling) or via organ transplantation. Recognizing the clinical syndrome is key to diagnosis. </p>
<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
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http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/location/usa/surveillance/human_rabies.html</p>
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