Rabies

After the bite or scratch of an animal, especially if it is a dog, cat, or bat, it is important to act promptly: rabies is a viral infection that affects the nervous system and is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. It is preventable if it is treated in time.

How it presents: In the early stages there may be fever, malaise, and discomfort in the wound area; later, neurological symptoms appear.

When to seek care? Any bite from a potentially infected animal should be evaluated immediately, without waiting for symptoms to appear.

Which specialist treats it? The emergency physician and the infectious disease specialist guide the management of rabies, with support from the internist or the general practitioner. When there is a high-risk bite, the recommendation is to go to a care facility as soon as possible.