A Child in Texas Has Been Hospitalized With Rabies, Officials Say

A youngster in Texas has been hospitalise by rabies that he caught through a bat bite , health officials of late describe — the first documented fount of the viral sickness within the state in over a tenner . Though official say they ’ve contacted other people at risk of having been infect , the current position and prognosis of the small fry have not been disclose at this time .

Some animals , particularly bats , are less likely to get sick or die from carrying lyssa . But infections in humans are almost universally fatal once symptoms begin — with death being aslow , excruciating experienceaccording to eyewitness bill . Thankfully , we have an available vaccine for lyssa , which can also be used as a condom in combining with donated antibody for people recently expose to the virus who have n’t become sick yet .

The handiness of the vaccine , for both humans and their favourite , and dedicated animate being control programs have made rabies a rarity in richer countries like the United States . But it does once in a while show up since the virus remain in circulation among wildlife . In September , an Illinois mandiedfrom the infection follow a chiropteran bite , though only after he turned down post - exposure treatment for an unknown intellect .

Bats emerging from the Bracken Cave in Bracken, Texas in a photo taken Aug. 31, 2011.

Bats emerging from the Bracken Cave in Bracken, Texas in a photo taken Aug. 31, 2011.Photo: Eric Gay (AP)

Over the weekend , officials with the Texas Department of State Health Servicesreportedthat they were investigating their own case of lyssa , the first report in the state since 2009 . The child is a Medina County resident who is currently get care in a Texas hospital , functionary order . Officials also said that they ’ve since get hold of out to everyone suspect of having been exposed to either the male child or the bat , and are assessing them to determine whether they need vaccination .

In the same proclamation , officials add that they would not publish any additional information on the kid ’s case , purportedly to protect their identity . So it ’s not exculpated whether the child is acutely sick with lyssa symptoms .

While hydrophobia may be the most deadly disease known once symptoms get down , there have been a recorded fistful of survivor . These subsister were often plow with something called the Milwaukee protocol , which essentially forces the victim to go into a coma to buy the immune system time to combat the contagion . But thereported succeeder rateof the intervention is still low . More recently , doctors in Brazil havedevelopeda modified version known as the Recife Protocol that they fence may be more effective .

Ugreentracker