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2300 BCE
Rabies Pathology
Rabies is caused by the rabies virus, which is a member of the Rhabdoviridae family. The true name of Rabies is Lyssavirus rabies and it was not discovered by a singular person but rather described 4000 years ago around this time in the Mosaic Esmuna Code of Babylon as a pestilence that afflicted dogs and animals and was able to be transmitted to humans (O'Niell, 2017). -
2300 BCE
First Recorded Case of Rabies in History
First written record of rabies causing death and disease in animals and humans is found in the Mosaic Esmuna Code of Babylon where Babylonians had to pay a fine if their dogs transmitted rabies to another person. (O'Niell, 2017). It was already theorized and proven back then that the disease is Zoonotic, meaning that it can be transferred between animals and humans. -
2300 BCE
Image of 𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴
Pathology of Lyssavirus rabies Image Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Figure1-Rabies-virus-shape-and-its-structures-Source-h-t-t-p-s-d-o-k-u-w-i-k-i_fig2_312495057 -
Period: 2300 BCE to
𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 Genetics
Throughout all of history, the genes encoding Lyssavirus rabies have been very simple and contain a mere 5 proteins within them (Fisher et al., 2018). The proteins being: nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), matrix protein (M), glycoprotein (G), and polymerase (L, due to the large size of the gene and P was already taken). -
Period: 2300 BCE to
𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 Stages of Disease cont.
The Prodromal period is when the virus reaches the nervous system and causes inflammation. At this point flu-like symptoms occur as well as anxiety, paralysis, paresis as well as other signs of encephalitis. Acute Neurologic is the phase Rabies is most known for with complete agitation, confusion, aerophobia, and its signature symptom, hydrophobia, when the patients dread drinking and start salivating uncontrollably. These compounding symptoms lead to organ failure to coma to death. (CDC, 2025). -
Period: 2300 BCE to
𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 Stages of Disease
To this day it is still unclear why RABV (Rhabdoviridae) is not detected immediately after exposure, and is theorized to have innate immune system evasion mechanics such as inhibition of interferon (IFN) signaling; interferons being proteins that interfere with viruses and systematic immunosuppression (Fisher et al., 2018). By bypassing these defenses, Rabies remains hidden and is able to complete its Incubation period and then travel through the nervous system and then the brain stem: its goal. -
Period: 2300 BCE to
Rabies Disease
Rabies infection usually occurs in muscle tissue following a bite from an infected animal, where the virus crosses neuromuscular junctions to peripheral nerves in order to get to the Central Nervous System (CNS) with the ultimate goal of reaching the Brain. Once in the brain, Encephalitis occurs, which is the inflammation and swelling of the brain. At this stage, it is far too late, and the patient will subsequently die within days (Fisher et al., 2018). -
50
Rabies Methods of Transmission
Lyssavirus rabies is transmitted by saliva of a biting animal as correctly assessed by the Roman scholar Celsus around the 1st century A.D. (O'Niell, 2017). The Rabies life cycle involves infection which follows after a bite from a rabid animal; the virus then crosses neuromuscular junctions to peripheral nerves in order to reach the Central Nervous System (Fisher et al., 2018). -
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Rabies Methods of Transmission cont.
Rabies may also be transmitted through consumption of carcasses or infected animals, but its main method is through bites, scratches, or licks. The vectors and reservoirs of rabies includes: bats, dogs, raccoons, foxes, skunks, and other relatively sizeable mammals (Fisher et al., 2018). All of these can transmit the rabies virus into humans. -
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Rabies Societal Impact
There is massive speculation that Rabies is a big contributor to many famous myths in history, Vampires, Zombies, and Werewolves are some of the myths that are perpetuated. Vampires especially, since a lot of the symptoms are similar to vampiric behavior, namely the consistent theme of biting, light hypersensitivity, aggression, and hydrophobia, mainly the vampiric weakness to Holy Water, as well as association with a certain nocturnal winged animal: bats (Newman, 2018). -
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Rabies Societal Impact cont.
Society back then and to this day still believe in Rabies patients succumbing to some form of possession or madness and this definitely improved people's weariness for this terrifying disease, ensuring to avoid rabid animals at all costs as well as getting vaccinated should they come into contact with one as soon as possible (WHO, 2024). -
Rabies Economic Impact
A peculiar cure people back then thought of were Madstones, calcified hairballs found in the stomachs of ruminants such as cows, goats, and deer. They were thought to draw the madness out of a bite wound, thus the name. In 1805, a Madstone sold for $2000 in Essex County, Virginia (O'Niell, 2017). Even nowadays, this plague affects people economically, with poorer countries like Haiti having to cough up about 3 months' worth of salary to afford the vaccine privately (CDC, 2024). -
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Rabies Economic Impact cont.
Rabies did not cause a redistribution of wealth in the economy, but the global cost every year is estimated to be $8.6 billion USD per year which includes lost lives, medical care, and associated costs, as well as unfathomable psychological trauma (WHO, 2024). As of 2018, the average estimated cost of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) was $108 USD with government assistance which can be a real financial burden on those living in lower income countries (WHO, 2024). -
Rabies Historical Impact cont.
This event changed human history forever if it were true (O'Niell, 2017). However it is merely but a theory and there were several other causes of death that Poe may have succumbed to, Rabies being a popular explanation.
Historical systems did not really change other than adamance on defending against this disease and there were no scapegoats other than the rabid animals that were biting people back then.
Image source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edgar-Allan-Poe -
Rabies Historical Impact
One of the popular theories of famous American poet Edgar Allan Poe's death was from Rabies; symptoms he exhibited before his untimely demise was great difficulty swallowing water, as well as alternating periods of extreme aggression and perfect lucidity. Poe then slipped into a coma and died 4 days later, all exhibiting signs of late stage Rabies (O'Niell, 2017). If this is true then America had lost one of its finest writers at the time to the insidious Rabies Virus. -
𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 Vaccine and Prevention
The only way to prevent Rabies from completely and utterly annihilating you is to get the vaccine before symptoms start appearing. In 1885, a French Chemist named Louis Pasteur found an attenuated vaccine for rabies and experimented it on a 9 year old boy named Joseph Meister. After 13 Inoculations and 11 agonizing days, the boy made a complete recovery and Pasteur's discovery revolutionized modern medicine in that getting bit by a rabid animal wasn't just the end-all anymore. (O'Niell, 2017). -
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Rabies Major Character
One of the most pivotal beings in the fight against the virulent Rabies virus is Louis Pasteur, French Chemist and Microbiologist. On July 6th, 1885, Pasteur made the difficult decision administering an infected 9 year old boy, Joseph Meister, 13 inoculations over the course of 11 days, thus making a complete recovery. Word of this leaked and patients the world over came flooding in. Over 20,000 patients had been given this post-exposure prophylactic vaccine (O'Niell, 2017). -
Rabies Major Character cont.
Even after Louis Pasteur's death 9 years after that fateful evening, his impact is still felt to this day. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency measure used for vaccination methods post-exposure to the infection (O'Niell, 2017). It is even used for potential HIV exposures to prevent infections before it is too late.
Image source: https://www.biography.com/scientists/louis-pasteur -
Rabies Primary Source
On this day on July 5th, 1935, marks the 50th anniversary when Joseph Meister became vaccinated and thus cleansed of the Rabies pestilence. Without Pasteur's risky gamble on that fateful day of July 6th, 1885, Joseph Meister would not be here living and breathing to share his tale of survival of humanity's deadliest virus. (Institut Pasteur, 2023)
image source: https://www.pasteur.fr/en/research-journal/news/history-first-rabies-vaccination-1885 -
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Rabies Primary Source cont.
Dr. Louis Pasteur was convinced by Dr. Jacquez Joseph Grancher to administer the treatment to the boy every day for 10 days, with a total of 12 doses. Less than a month later, the outcome was as clear as day, Joseph Meister had been saved! Without either of these heroic individuals, our understanding of how to prevent and save millions every year from this terrifying malady would not exist and Rabies would be even more frightening and destructive than it already is (Institut Pasteur, 2023). -
Period: to
Rabies Public Health Response
In modern times, the WHO aims to end human deaths from dog-mediated rabies through mass dog vaccination along with improved surveillance, bite prevention, and better health worker training as well as ensuring quick vaccinations for those who have already been bitten (WHO, 2024). People back then thought that this disease was straight up possession or a madness and so one of their methods to cure it was through madstones, a gem speculated to draw the madness out of people (O'Niell, 2017). -
Period: to
Rabies Epidemiology
Lyssaviruses, the main causative agent of Rabies is everywhere on every continent except Antarctica and it most likely originated on one of the Old World countries (Africa, Asia, Europe), and spreads mainly through animals of the canine and chiropteran (bats) variety (Wallace Shlim, 2025). Rabies is the cause of about 70,000 deaths annually, with a fatality rate of virtually 100%. People who live in or travel to Old World countries are at most risk of contracting it (Wallace Shlim, 2025). -
𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴 Modern Day Relevance
Rabies is still relevant to this very day. Rabid animals still exist and they are still a threat to average citizens and passing tourists alike. It cannot be classified as a bioterrorism threat because its main vector is through the saliva of infected animals, and it cannot re-emerge as a massive pandemic due to its specific requirements in order to get infected i.e., not everybody is going to be exposed to rabid animals in their lifetime. -
Lessons Learned from 𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴
The fatality rate for Rabies is virtually 100% with the exception of around 20 people in the entirety of human history surviving past the onset of the symptoms and so it is very important to stay safe and protect oneself and to never interact with animals that may seem rabid as well as getting the necessary help needed in getting vaccinated as soon as possible after being bitten by one. This is a lesson that could help us during a pandemic as taking the COVID-19 vaccine can save countless lives.