Rabies

This passage discusses the disease of rabies.

Lexile Level: 990L

Categories: Sports & Health Animals & Nature

Rabies is a very dangerous disease that can be harmful to humans. Rabies is a virus that is passed from the saliva of an animal to a human, usually through a bite. The virus causes the brain to swell in both animals and people. People who own pets are required to vaccinate those pets against rabies. The vaccination is a shot that protects the animal from the virus. But wild animals, like bats, raccoons, and skunks often give the virus to humans through a bite. Symptoms of rabies in an animal include extreme aggression, being very withdrawn, or lying unnaturally still. In humans, symptoms of rabies include inflammation of the spinal cord, brain dysfunction, anxiety, and confusion. Stay away from animals that seem to be acting strangely. If you are bitten, you will need a rabies vaccination as soon as possible. Most humans recover if they receive the vaccination soon after the bite.