Case Reports: Survival from Rabies: Case Series from India

Reeta S. Mani Department of Neurovirology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research in Rabies, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India;

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Tina Damodar Department of Neurovirology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research in Rabies, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India;

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Divyashree S Department of Infectious Diseases, MGM New Bombay Hospital, Mumbai, India;

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Srikanth Domala Department of Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, India;

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Birendra Gurung Department of Pediatrics, District Hospital Namchi, Namchi, India;

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Vilas Jadhav Arya Child Epilepsy and Neurology Clinic, Kolhapur, India;

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Ramesh Konanki Department of Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, India;

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Lokesh Lingappa Department of Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, India;

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Sathish Kumar Loganathan Department of Child Health, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India;

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Rajendra Salagare Salagare Children and Eye Hospital, Chikodi, India;

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Priyash Tambi Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India

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Rabies, a zoonotic viral encephalitis, continues to be a serious public health problem in India and several other countries in Asia and Africa. Survival is rarely reported in rabies, which is considered to be almost universally fatal. We report the clinical and radiological findings of eight patients with laboratory-confirmed rabies who survived the illness. With the exception of one patient who recovered with mild sequelae, all survivors had poor functional outcomes. The reported survival from rabies in recent years may reflect an increased awareness of the disease and greater access to better critical care facilities in rabies-endemic countries. Nonetheless, there is an urgent need to focus on preventive strategies to reduce the burden of this dreadful disease in rabies-endemic countries.

Author Notes

Address correspondence to Reeta S. Mani, Department of Neurovirology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research in Rabies, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore 560029, India. E-mail: drreeta@gmail.com

Authors’ addresses: Reeta S. Mani and Tina Damodar, Department of Neurovirology, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research in Rabies, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India, E-mails: drreeta@gmail.com and tinadamodar86@gmail.com. Divyashree S, Department of Infectious Diseases, MGM New Bombay Hospital, Mumbai, India, E-mail: doc.divyashree@gmail.com. Srikanth Domala, Ramesh Konanki, and Lokesh Lingappa, Department of Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Telangana, India, E-mails: srikanthji@gmail.com, rameshkonanki@gmail.com, and siriloki@gmail.com. Birendra Gurung, Department of Pediatrics, District Hospital Namchi, Namchi, India, E-mail: bgtamu71@gmail.com. Vilas Jadhav, Arya Child Epilepsy and Neurology Clinic, Kolhapur, India, E-mail: hribhavjadhav@gmail.com. Sathish Kumar Loganathan, Department of Child Health, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, India, E-mail: sathishloganathan82@gmail.com. Rajendra Salagare, Salagare Children and Eye Hospital, Chikodi, India, E-mail: drsalgare@yahoo.com. Priyash Tambi, Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Seth G.S. Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India, E-mail: priyashtambi@gmail.com.

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