To check for rabies, you must see a doctor immediately after potential exposure, as diagnosis involves tests on saliva, spinal fluid, serum, and skin biopsies, but treatment (post-exposure prophylaxis) is started before results because rabies is fatal once symptoms appear. If you suspect exposure (like from a bite or scratch), thoroughly wash the wound and contact your healthcare provider or local health department right away for urgent medical evaluation and testing to rule out the virus.

Is there any way to know if I have rabies?

The first symptoms of rabies can appear from a few days to more than a year after the bite happens. At first, there's a tingling, prickling, or itching feeling around the bite area. A person also might have flu-like symptoms such as a fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and tiredness.

Is there a way to test if I have rabies?

Several tests are necessary to diagnose rabies antemortem (before death) in humans; no single test is sufficient. Tests are performed on samples of saliva, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and nuchal skin biopsies.

How would I feel if I had rabies?

About two-thirds of people have furious rabies, with symptoms like aggression, seizures and delirium. Others have paralytic rabies, with weakness and paralysis progressing from the bite wound to the rest of their body. Furious rabies can last a few days to a week. Paralytic rabies can last up to a month.

How quickly will I know if I have rabies?

Rabies symptoms usually appear 1 to 3 months after exposure, but the incubation period can range from a few days to over a year, depending on the bite's location (closer to the brain means faster onset), severity, and the person's age, with early signs like fever, headache, and tingling at the wound site progressing to anxiety, paralysis, and hydrophobia. Prompt washing of the wound and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are critical to prevent the virus from reaching the brain.

Rabies, Causes, SIgn and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

Can Stage 1 rabies be cured?

Once a rabies infection is established, there's no effective treatment. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease usually causes death. For that reason, if you think you've been exposed to rabies, you must get a series of shots to prevent the infection from taking hold.

Can I get myself checked for rabies?

If you've been bitten, scratched or licked by an animal that may have rabies, a doctor will check if you need treatment. Treatment usually involves: 2 or more doses of the rabies vaccine.

How much does a rabies test cost?

Cost: $79 per sample. (price is subject to change). Turnaround Time: 7-10 business days from date of sample receipt.

What are the first signs of human rabies?

Early signs of rabies in humans are often flu-like (fever, headache, weakness, discomfort) and include unusual tingling, itching, or pain at the bite site, lasting several days before more severe neurological symptoms like anxiety, confusion, and hallucinations develop as the virus reaches the brain.
 

How fast does rabies travel to the brain?

Once the rabies virus reaches the spinal cord and brain, rabies is almost always fatal. However, the virus typically takes at least 10 days—usually 30 to 50 days—to reach the brain (how long depends on the bite's location). During that interval, measures can be taken to stop the virus and help prevent death.

How soon do you need a rabies shot?

The first shot is given immediately after exposure to a rabid animal. Dose two is given three days later. Dose three is given seven days after the first dose, and dose four is given 14 days after the first dose. The person should also receive another shot, called rabies immune globulin (RIG).

When was the last case of rabies in the US?

In 2022, there was no human death due to rabies. In November 2024, a California art teacher died from rabies, about a month after being bitten by a bat she found in her classroom.

Can a blood test detect rabies?

To date, there are no tests available to diagnose human rabies infection ante-mortem, or before the onset of clinical disease.

Does insurance cover rabies shots for humans?

Don't wait until symptoms appear, because it will be too late. Many health insurance plans cover much of the rabies vaccine cost for humans and an injection of HRIG antibodies if treatment after suspected exposure is required. Pre-exposure rabies vaccine may not be covered by your health plan.

What is the 10 day rule for rabies?

The 10-day observation period for a biting dog, cat, or ferret is a standard public health practice to determine rabies risk: if the animal remains healthy for 10 days after biting someone, it wasn't shedding the rabies virus in its saliva at the time of the bite, meaning the exposed person usually doesn't need rabies post-exposure shots (PEP). This quarantine ensures the animal is available for monitoring, preventing unnecessary euthanasia for brain testing and avoiding expensive PEP for the bite victim if the animal stays healthy.
 

What are the symptoms of silent rabies?

SIR: Symptoms characteristic of rabies are hydrophobia, agitation, and irritability. Some cases present with depressive symptoms frequently termed as “silent rabies.” History of contact with a diseased animal is usually available for a diagnosis of rabies.

When is it too late to treat rabies in humans?

Usually you can wait for test results from a healthy domestic animal to see if rabies shots are needed. Bites and verified exposures from wild animals should be treated as if the animal were rabid until rabies has been ruled out. Once a person develops rabies symptoms it is too late for treatment!

How many days to inject anti-rabies?

One injection each on days 0, 3, 7, and 14. For those with immune disorders, administer a fifth dose on day 28.

How deep does a scratch have to be to get rabies?

It's important to remember, any contact with a bat, even very minor wounds like superficial scratches, can cause rabies.

How long before rabies kills a human?

Once rabies symptoms appear, death typically occurs within 7 to 10 days, usually from respiratory or cardiac failure, as the disease causes fatal brain inflammation (encephalitis); survival after symptoms start is almost unheard of, making immediate treatment after animal exposure critical during the incubation period (days to months) before the virus reaches the brain.

---