Rabies

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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that can increase your risk of rabies include:

  • Traveling or living in developing countries where rabies is more common, including countries in Africa and Southeast Asia
  • Activities that are likely to put you in contact with wild animals that may have rabies, such as exploring caves where bats live or camping without taking precautions to keep wild animals away from your campsite
  • Working in a laboratory with the rabies virus
  • Wounds to the head or neck, which may help the rabies virus travel to your brain more quickly
Preparing for your appointment Causes
References
  1. Rabies basics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/exposure/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  2. Rupprecht CE. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of rabies. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  3. Fort GG, et al. Rabies. In: Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2011: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?sid=1095900802&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00027-5--sc0010&isbn=978-0-323-05610-6&type=bookPage&sectionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05610-6..00027-5--sc0010&uniqId=230129353-3. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  4. Bassin SL, et al. Rhabdoviruses. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 76th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00163-6&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&type=bookPage&sectionEid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00163-6&uniqId=227823193-5#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00163-6. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  5. Harper MB. Infection following bites. In: Long SS, et al., eds. Long: Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/227823193-4/1087364479/1679/96.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06687-0..50095-3--cesec28_1889. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  6. DeMaria A, et al. Rabies immune globulin and vaccine. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  7. Jackson AC. Rabies. Neurologic Clinics. 2008;26:717.
  8. Steckelberg JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 7, 2010.
DS00484 Jan. 28, 2011

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