I understand the basics of vaccines and I get the rabies vaccine works, but in the instance where you are attacked by a rabid animal and bitten, how does getting the vaccine immediately help with the development of the disease? Is it not already in your bloodstream?
In: Biology
Rabies attacks the nervous system itself. It does rather little in your blood. This means it often takes a long time for it to show symptoms as it spreads quite slowly towards the brain. Of course it depends where you got bitten in the first place…
This is somewhat good, as it means the time required for the vaccine to properly take effect still has a chance at helping fight the virus before it reaches the point where it’s irreversible and fatal.
Rabies is a *really* **really** bad disease. You wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy. Every effort to fight it is worth it, because if you don’t get treated, you area *dead*, 100%. With proper treatment though, you’ll live. Please, do everything you’re instructed to do, to the letter.
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