Rabies is a deadly virus that attacks the nervous system and is almost always fatal once symptoms start. Fortunately, if a person receives prompt treatment after being bitten or scratched by a rabid animal, the disease can almost always be prevented. This treatment, called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP, includes cleaning the wound, getting a dose of rabies immune globulin, and completing a series of rabies vaccines over a few weeks. Studies show that when PEP is started quickly, it is nearly 100 percent effective, turning what could be a deadly infection into a preventable one.

Links