Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system and is typically transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal, most commonly through a bite. If a human were to receive too much rabies in their system, it would likely result in a severe and potentially fatal condition known as rabies encephalitis.
However, it's important to clarify that rabies does not cause a human to "act like a dog" or exhibit behavior similar to an infected animal. The idea that rabies causes "hydrophobia" or the fear of water is a misconception perpetuated by older literature and movies. In reality, rabies can cause a range of symptoms, which can progress rapidly, leading to confusion, hallucinations, paralysis, and other neurological issues.
The symptoms of rabies in humans can be divided into two stages:
Prodromal Stage: This stage usually lasts for a few days and includes symptoms like fever, headache, weakness, and discomfort at the site of the animal bite.
Acute Neurological Stage: As the virus spreads to the central nervous system, more severe symptoms appear, such as anxiety, confusion, agitation, delirium, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing (which may give the impression of "hydrophobia"), muscle spasms, and paralysis. This stage is often fatal.
Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is almost always fatal. That's why it's crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you are bitten by an animal, especially one that may be rabid, so that appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) can be administered to prevent the onset of the disease. Rabies is preventable with prompt and proper medical intervention, but once symptoms develop, it becomes challenging to treat successfully.