Veterinary officials in Nairobi have urged the public to take immediate measures to protect themselves, their pets and loved ones from rabies. This comes after confirmed cases were reported in Kilimani, Kibra, Karen, Ngong, Langata, Dagoretti and Rongai.
So what is rabies?
Desmond Tutu, a veterinary surgeon, says rabies is a viral disease that is usually transmitted to humans and pets through bites or scratches from rabid animals, usually dogs.
He says the virus attacks the nervous system and therefore the brain.
Dr Tutu explains that there are two types of rabies - the vicious form and the dumb or paralytic form, noting that either way the brain processes the infection.
"The dumb or paralytic form of rabies is when the dog shows no signs of aggression. You may find that the dog is just friendly and behaves normally, or just lies down and shows no activity. It's easy to make a mistake and think the dog is fine, so you need an expert to tell you that the symptoms are not normal and we suspect it's rabies," he says.
This form of rabies is often misdiagnosed, contributing to the under-reporting of the disease. It accounts for about 20 percent of all human cases, and the symptoms can last longer than those of the vicious form. Muscles gradually become paralysed, starting at the wound site. A coma slowly develops and eventually, death occurs.
The vicious form of rabies on the other hand causes hyperactivity, excitable behaviour, hallucinations, lack of coordination, hydrophobia and aerophobia. Death occurs after a few days due to cardiorespiratory arrest.
Symptoms and dangers to humans
The first symptoms of rabies can appear anywhere from a few days to over a year after the bite. At first, there is a tingling, prickling or itching sensation around the bite. A person may also experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea and tiredness.
As the virus enters the central nervous system, a progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.
Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100 percent fatal. In up to 99 percent of cases, domestic dogs are responsible for transmitting the rabies virus to humans.
"Rabies is fatal. There is no definitive treatment. So if you get it and you're not treated within 72 hours, the doctors can't save you. One case warrants warning of an outbreak," says Dr Tutu.
Rabies is a neglected tropical disease that disproportionately affects already vulnerable populations. In Kenya, rabies is estimated to cause up to 1,000 deaths each year.
Preventing rabies
Dr Tutu says vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in humans because it stops transmission at the source.
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease of the central nervous system, “therefore, vaccinating dogs stops transmission at the source,” says Dr Tutu.
Similarly, education about dog behaviour and bite prevention for children and adults is an essential extension of rabies vaccination programmes and can reduce both the incidence of human rabies and the financial burden of treating dog bites.
Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is the emergency response to rabies exposure. It prevents the virus from entering the central nervous system, which would inevitably lead to death.
PEP consists of a course of a potent, effective rabies vaccine that meets World Health Organisation recommendations and the administration of rabies immunoglobulin.
