11/09/2024
Rabies is one of the deadliest viruses, with a nearly 100% fatality rate once symptoms appear. It attacks the central nervous system, leading to symptoms like fever, muscle spasms, and hydrophobia (fear of water). Death usually follows severe neurological symptoms. Fortunately, if treated immediately after exposure through a series of rabies vaccinations, it can be prevented.
But did you know that there is one person known to have survived rabies even without vaccination?
In September 2004, a 15-year-old Jeanna Giese, was bitten on the left index finger by a bat she had found at church. The bite broke the skin, but it was small, so no one thought much of it at the time. Unfortunately, she didn’t receive post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), the immediate vaccine treatment necessary to prevent rabies after a potential exposure.
About a month after being bitten, Jeanna Giese began experiencing early rabies symptoms like fatigue, numbness, and tingling around the bite area, which quickly worsened to slurred speech, muscle spasms, and confusion. When doctors realized she had rabies—a virus almost always fatal once symptoms begin—her chances for survival were incredibly slim.
Dr. Rodney Willoughby, a doctor at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, and his team tried a groundbreaking approach known as the Milwaukee Protocol, putting her into a medically induced coma to protect her brain and give her immune system time to fight the virus. After a week, Jeanna was brought out of the coma and slowly began to recover. Though she faced lasting neurological challenges, rehabilitation helped her regain motor skills and speech, eventually allowing her to lead a mostly normal life.
Today, Jeanna is married with twins, thanks to the doctors' innovative efforts. However, the Milwaukee Protocol hasn’t consistently succeeded in all patients, still highlighting the critical importance of immediate vaccination after exposure.
