Rabies Symptoms in Humans: Early Signs & Progression

Rabies is a serious disease caused by the rabies virus. The virus is usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal and can inflict various symptoms. Left untreated, rabies can kill within the first week of illness.

Early Symptoms

• A characteristic symptom of a rabies infection in humans is twitching or tingling around the animal bite. Other early symptoms include headache, nausea, appetite loss, fatigue, muscle pain and fever.

Progressing Symptoms

• As the infection gets worse, symptoms could include irritability, hallucinations, aggressiveness, abnormal thoughts, seizures, weakness and paralysis.

Advanced Symptoms

• In the advanced stages of infection, there can be double vision and muscle problems. The infected person might have difficulty swallowing and begin to foam at the mouth.

Incubation

• Rabies symptoms might occur within a few days to more than a year after infection.

Warning

• The disease is almost always fatal once a person starts showing signs of rabies.