IV.

History, Prevention, and Treatment

Rabies is described in medical writings dating from 300 bc, but the method of transmission or contagion was not recognized until 1804. In 1884 the French bacteriologist Louis Pasteur developed a preventive vaccine against rabies, and modifications of Pasteur's methods are still used in rabies therapy today. The Pasteur program, or variations of it, has greatly reduced the fatalities in humans from rabies. Modern treatment, following a bite by a rabid or presumed rabid animal, consists of immediate and thorough cleansing of the bite wound, a one-time dose of rabies immune globulin, and the first of five doses of rabies vaccine. The four remaining doses of rabies vaccine should be given over the next 28 days.

The rabies vaccine is recommended for persons in high-risk occupations, such as veterinarians and animal handlers, and can be administered before or after rabies exposure.