Dr. Srivastava, Sumit
Internal Medicine
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
Is it possible to get rabies from patting a stray cat and then eating without washing hands? The cat's fur was not moist or wet nor was the cat being aggressive. Please advice.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
No. Rabies does not spread that way. There is absolutely no chance to get rabies that way. Generally, it is the bite from a rabid dog or a cat that causes rabies since rabies virus is present in saliva.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for the reply.
What if the cat was licked by a rabid animal earlier or was licking itself earlier?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
If only the cat had a wound and it was licked at that particular site by an infected animal, then there is a slight chance of transmission of rabies to that cat. Let us suppose the cat was infected and it licked on itself and then touched by a person, transmission is possible only if there was a cut or a wound in hand that touched the cat, and that too within a very short span of time say a few hours. The rabies virus moves through nerves and ganglions and finally reaches the brain, which is only possible if there is a puncture in the skin. It cannot penetrate the skin by itself. Chances of getting rabies are very unlikely unless the virus comes in contact with the broken skin or mucosa.
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Internal Medicine
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