OBJECTIVE: The description of a second case of rabies in Australia, stressing the clinical features and that long incubation periods are possible. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 10-year-old Vietnamese girl presented with fever, shoulder pain, subcutaneous emphysema, swallowing difficulty and agitation. After a period of maniacal behaviour all peripheral and central nervous system function was lost. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Despite maximal intensive care, the patient died. The diagnosis of rabies was made at autopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Rabies occurs in Australia and needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute encephalitis and/or the Guillain-Barré syndrome. Incubation periods of more than six years can occur.
OBJECTIVE: The description of a second case of rabies in Australia, stressing the clinical features and that long incubation periods are possible. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 10-year-old Vietnamese girl presented with fever, shoulder pain, subcutaneous emphysema, swallowing difficulty and agitation. After a period of maniacal behaviour all peripheral and central nervous system function was lost. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: Despite maximal intensive care, the patient died. The diagnosis of rabies was made at autopsy. CONCLUSIONS: Rabies occurs in Australia and needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute encephalitis and/or the Guillain-Barré syndrome. Incubation periods of more than six years can occur.
Authors: Aifric O'Sullivan; Rodney E Willoughby; Darya Mishchuk; Brisa Alcarraz; Cesar Cabezas-Sanchez; Rene Edgar Condori; Dan David; Rafael Encarnacion; Naaz Fatteh; Josefina Fernandez; Richard Franka; Sara Hedderwick; Conall McCaughey; Joanne Ondrush; Andres Paez-Martinez; Charles Rupprecht; Andres Velasco-Villa; Carolyn M Slupsky Journal: J Proteome Res Date: 2012-11-30 Impact factor: 4.466