Also called: Hydrophobia
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Rabies
Rabies is a deadly animal disease caused by a virus. It can happen in wild animals, including raccoons, skunks, bats and foxes, or in dogs, cats or farm animals. People get it from the bite of an infected animal.
In people, symptoms of rabies include fever, headache and fatigue, then confusion, hallucinations and paralysis. Once the symptoms begin, the disease is usually fatal. A series of shots can prevent rabies in people exposed to the virus. You need to get them right away. If an animal bites you, wash the wound well; then get medical care.
To help prevent rabies:
- Vaccinate your pet. Rabies vaccines are available for dogs, cats and farm animals
- Don't let pets roam
- Don't approach stray animals. Animals with rabies might be aggressive and vicious, or tired and weak
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It sits within Infections.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Rabies
139 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- An Expanded Access Program for SYN023 in Rabies TreatmentSynermore Biologics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
- Real-World Effectiveness of Zamerovimab and Mazorelvimab and Vaccine for Rabies Grade III Exposure in NanyangSynermore Biologics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
- DMID 23-0015; Lassa Fever CVD 1000Wilbur Chen, MD, MS
- Real World Evidence Study of SYN023 in Children Exposed to RabiesSynermore Biologics (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
- A Clinical Trial of Rabies Vaccine（Human Diploid Cell）for Human Use,Freeze-dried in a Population Aged 10 to 60 YearsAb&B Bio-tech Co., Ltd.JS
- A Phase III Clinical Trial on Immunogenicity and Safety of Lyophilized Rabies Vaccine for Human Use (Human Diploid Cell)Changchun BCHT Biotechnology Co.
Research already completed
- Washington University WU 409: Immune Responses to Rabies Vaccine.Washington University School of Medicine
- Safety and Immune Response of a Rabies Vaccine With the Essen Schedule and a Two-Dose BoosterJiangsu Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Comparison of SYN023 to Human Rabies Immune Globulin in Post Exposure Prophylaxis of RabiesSynermore Biologics Co., Ltd.
- Study of Intradermal Administration of PCEC Rabies VaccineCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- A Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of an Investigational Vaccine for the Prevention of Yellow Fever, and of an Investigational Vaccine for the Prevention of Rabies, in Healthy AdultsAstriVax Therapeutics
- Adherence to Anti-rabies Post-exposure Prophylactic ProtocolsTanta University
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- About RabiesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- RabiesWorld Health Organization
- Rabies: Questions and AnswersImmunization Action Coalition
Treatments and Therapies
- Animal Bites: First AidMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Rabies Post-Exposure Prophylaxis GuidanceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Rabies Prevention and ControlCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Related Issues
- Preventing Rabies from BatsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Travelers' Health: RabiesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Statistics and Research
- Rabies in the United States: Protecting Public HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Rabies Status by CountryCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Rabies: A Forgotten KillerCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Patient Handouts
- Rabies Vaccine: What You Need to KnowCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Rabies. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Rabies, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.