Rabies is an ancient, debilitating neurological disease that still manages to kill up to 55,000 people each year, despite the existence of an effective vaccine. Most rabies victims live in the developing world and contract the virus from infected bats. While the incubation period for the virus can be anywhere between a week and a year, what happens when symptoms finally show themselves in humans is beyond terrifying.
This short video from the 1960s details the progress of rabies symptoms in a victim from the Iranian countryside. To say it is heartbreaking would be a massive understatement.
(via Reddit, Justin Eyck)
Rabies is on the decline around the world thanks to a combination of increased awareness and availability of vaccines. Luckily, if the disease is caught in the early stages of symptoms (anxiety, hallucinations, trouble swallowing, fear of water), the rabies vaccine can totally destroy the virus. With this knowledge, it”s best to not waste any time getting to a doctor if you experience these symptoms.
