A case of human rabies in the Urban Area of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

A 39-year old male patient was admitted to the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto with signs and symptoms of sudden dyspnea, generalized myalgia and behavioral disorders. The initial suspicion was alcohol abstinence syndrome and the patient was referred for psychiatric...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: SILVA Jorgete M., Silva Ana A.M.C.C., FERREIRA Aparecida H.C., MONTEIRO Maria E., SANTIAGO Roseli C., PASSOS Afonso D.C.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1997
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Online Access:https://doaj.org/article/27b73f3ce2b140199db3c94c2e7b353c
Description
Summary:A 39-year old male patient was admitted to the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto with signs and symptoms of sudden dyspnea, generalized myalgia and behavioral disorders. The initial suspicion was alcohol abstinence syndrome and the patient was referred for psychiatric and neurologic care. The evolution of the patient with a worsening of signs and symptoms, presence of crises of tachypnea, agitation, difficulty to swallow, irritability and hydrophobia, and his report of having been bitten by a suspected dog raised the hypothesis of rabies. The diagnosis was confirmed by examination of a corneal impression, biological tests in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and saliva and visualization of Negri bodies in nervous tissue (direct immunofluorescence). The patient evolved with agitation, aggressiveness, and worsening tachypnea intercalating with apnea, and died on the 4th day after admission