Rabies Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: Sandra G Gompf, MD, FACP, FIDSA; Chief Editor: Burke A Cunha, MD   more...
 
Updated: Dec 12, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of rabies include the following:

  • Other infectious causes of encephalitis
  • Transverse myelitis
  • Cerebrovascular accident
  • Psychosis
  • Intracranial mass
  • Epilepsy
  • Atropine poisoning
  • Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
  • Poisoning with atropinelike compounds
  • Pseudohydrophobia (hysterical reaction to animal bites due to fear of rabies)

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Sandra G Gompf, MD, FACP, FIDSA  Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Chief, Infectious Diseases Section, Director, Occupational Health and Infection Control Programs, James A Haley Veterans Hospital

Sandra G Gompf, MD, FACP, FIDSA is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Tri M Pham, MD  Consulting Physician, Division of Infectious Diseases, Watson Clinic, Lakeland

Tri M Pham, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Charurut Somboonwit, MD, FACP  Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Director of Communicable Diseases and Clinical Research, Hillsborough County Health Department

Charurut Somboonwit, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Albert L Vincent, PhD  Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine; Scientific and Research Advisor to the Division of Epidemiology, Hillsborough County Health Department

Disclosure: none None None

Chief Editor

Burke A Cunha, MD  Professor of Medicine, State University of New York School of Medicine at Stony Brook; Chief, Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital

Burke A Cunha, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Leslie L Barton, MD Professor Emerita of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine

Leslie L Barton, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of Pediatric Program Directors, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Baystate Medical Center; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Massachusetts Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Wendy Carter, DO, Division of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Wendy Carter, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lucinda Elko, MD, Division of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Lucinda Elko, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Donna J Fisher, MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine; Interim Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Baystate Children's Hospital

Donna J Fisher, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Anibal Jose Maldonado, MD, Fellow, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of South Florida

Anibal Jose Maldonado, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Russell W Steele, MD Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Children's Health Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Additional Contributors

Leslie L Barton, MD Professor Emerita of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine

Leslie L Barton, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of Pediatric Program Directors, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Baystate Medical Center; Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine

Richard B Brown, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Massachusetts Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Wendy Carter, DO, Division of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Wendy Carter, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lucinda Elko, MD, Division of Infectious and Tropical Medicine, University of South Florida College of Medicine

Lucinda Elko, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Donna J Fisher, MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Tufts University School of Medicine; Interim Chief, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Baystate Children's Hospital

Donna J Fisher, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, and Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Anibal Jose Maldonado, MD, Fellow, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine, University of South Florida

Anibal Jose Maldonado, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, and Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Russell W Steele, MD Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Children's Health Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

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Hematoxylin and eosin stain of Negri body in a rabies-infected neuron. Courtesy of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Distribution of the 5 strains of rabies virus and the associated wildlife in the United States.
Table 1. Risk Categories for Active Preexposure Immunization and Rabies Titer Monitoring
CategoryTarget PopulationImmunization RegimenSerologic Testing
ContinuousRabies research laboratory or biologics production workersPrimary course; booster when serum antibody is less than 1:5 dilution based on RFFIT resultsEvery 6 months
FrequentRabies diagnostic laboratory workers, spelunkers, veterinarians and staff, animal control and wildlife workers in rabies-enzootic areas, travelers to areas of enzootic rabies for more than 30 days Primary course; booster every 2 years or when serum antibody is less than 1:5 dilution based on RFFIT resultsEvery 2 years if not regularly boosted
InfrequentVeterinarians and staff/students, animal control and wildlife workers in areas of low rabies riskPrimary course; no boosterNone
RareUS population at largeNoneNone
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