Just saw a video about rabies having 100% kill rate, peaked my interest.
Why is rabies such a horrible thing and what does it actually do to be able to kill you without an actual cure etc?
EDIT: I didn’t expect so many responses to this, thank you to everyone who answered!
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There is this thing called the blood-brain barrier, which basically puts your brain in a separate category from the rest of your body. Most pathogens can’t pass through that barrier, and most drugs as well.
The rabies virus is one of the few pathogens that can cross that barrier, and once it starts making havoc in the brain (creating a fear of water, paranoia, mood swings, erratic behavior, seizures, death) it is basically impossible to treat.
You have to cath it before symptoms start, either by being inoculated against it (rabies vaccine) or by some immediate treatment within hours of infection.
This is why when rabies is even a remote possibility, people recommend getting to an ER as soon as humanly possible.
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