The first symptoms of rabies in people may be nonspecific flu-like signs — malaise, fever, or headache, which may last for days. There may be discomfort or paresthesia at the site of exposure (bite), progressing within days to symptoms of cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, agitation, progressing to delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, and insomnia. The acute period of disease typically ends after 2 to 10 days. Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive. Disease prevention is entirely prophylactic and includes passive antibody (immune globulin) and vaccine. Non-lethal exceptions are extremely rare, with only six documented cases of human survival from clinical rabies, but each included a history of either pre- or postexposure prophylaxis.

Information courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.