Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
08:10
Evaluation of a Universal Nested Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Lyssaviruses
Published on: May 2, 2019
8.5K
Human Rabies - Texas, 2021
MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
|December 8, 2022
Summary
A Texas child died from rabies after a bat bite, highlighting the need for rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) even without visible marks. Increased public education on bat exposure risks and PEP availability is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
Background:
- Bats are the primary source of domestically acquired rabies in the U.S.
- Rabies is nearly always fatal once symptoms appear.
- Lack of awareness regarding bat-transmitted rabies and the necessity of postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) can have severe consequences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a fatal case of rabies in a child following a bat bite with no visible marks.
- To emphasize the importance of rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) regardless of visible bite marks.
- To advocate for enhanced public education on rabies transmission and prevention.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 7-year-old boy diagnosed with rabies.
- Contact tracing and recommendation for PEP for 57 exposed individuals.
- Review of rabies epidemiology in the U.S.
Main Results:
- The child died 22 days after symptom onset.
- Bats were implicated in 81.6% of U.S. human rabies cases since 2000.
- Public health guidance was issued to 57 potentially exposed individuals.
Conclusions:
- Rabies is a critical public health concern, particularly bat-transmitted cases in the U.S.
- Prompt administration of rabies PEP is essential for preventing rabies after exposure.
- Public awareness campaigns are needed to educate about bat-related rabies risks and PEP availability.
More Related Videos
07:40Field Postmortem Rabies Rapid Immunochromatographic Diagnostic Test for Resource-Limited Settings with Further Molecular Applications
Published on: June 29, 2020
13.6K
10:26Author Spotlight: A Cost-Effective Genomic Workflow for Advancing Rabies Control in Resource-Limited Settings
Published on: August 18, 2023
5.4K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
01:28Diphtheria
Diphtheria is an acute, toxin-mediated infectious disease that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract. It is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, a Gram-positive, pleomorphic rod that lacks spore-forming capability and exhibits a characteristic club-shaped morphology under microscopic examination. While C. diphtheriae can asymptomatically colonize mucosal surfaces, clinical disease manifests only when the bacterial strain is lysogenized by a specific β-corynephage. This phage...
01:28Rabies
Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
01:28Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
01:22American Trypanosomiasis
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a vector-borne parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a flagellated protozoan (kinetoplastid) of the family Trypanosomatidae. The disease is endemic in Latin America, although cases are increasingly reported worldwide due to human migration. Transmission most commonly occurs when feces of infected triatomine bugs contaminate bite wounds or mucosal surfaces; additional routes include congenital, transfusional, transplant-related, and oral...