If rabies virus can't penetrate intact skin, then how can it go through intact mucous membranes of a living being/animal?? Is contact with mucous membrane & transmission practically possible, because the virus spends very few time in mouth, nose or eyes as they get washed every now & then. And if someone's hand is licked by a dog or he/she touched a dog at night, is it still infectious during next morning??
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From numerous studies conducted on rabid dogs, cats, and ferrets, we know that when the rabies virus is introduced into a muscle through a bite from another animal. It then travels from the site of the bite to the brain by moving within nerves. The animal does not appear ill during this time.
The time between when the bite happened and the appearance of symptoms is called the incubation period and it may last for weeks to months. A bite by the animal during the incubation period does NOT carry a risk of rabies because the virus has not yet made it to the saliva.
Once the virus has reaches the brain it multiplies there and causes an inflammation of the brain, then it moves from the brain to the salivary glands and saliva. This is when almost all animals begin to show the first signs of rabies. Most of these signs are obvious to even an untrained observer, but within a short period of time, usually within 3 to 5 days, the virus has caused enough damage to the brain that the animal begins to show unmistakable signs of rabies.
Rabies is then only transmittable by bite wounds where saliva has been transferred. Intact skin (no scratches, wounds, bites) will not allow the virus to go through. That is the skin's job - a barrier between us and germs. Mucous membranes are porous and will allow virus and other particles to pass through. It is just the nature of anatomy and how the virus is transmitted.
Though rare, transmission could occur through infected saliva contacting your mucous membranes or a scratch or other break in the skin.
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