Final answer:
Rabies is transmitted via the saliva of an infected animal through a bite. It moves to the central nervous system within about a week, hence early treatment after exposure is vital. Wildlife vaccination programs aim to reduce risks of transmission to humans and domestic animals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Transmission and Treatment of Rabies
When an animal infected with rabies bites a person, the rabies virus is transmitted through the animal's saliva. After the bite, it typically takes about a week for the rabies virus to travel from the site of the bite to the central nervous system. This period can vary, but the speed of travel to the central nervous system is critical as it determines the onset of symptoms. People are generally not vaccinated against rabies in advance because the routine vaccination of domestic animals has significantly reduced the likelihood of humans contracting rabies from an animal bite.
The goal of wildlife vaccination programs for rabies is to control and eventually eliminate the disease in wild animal populations, thereby reducing the risk of transmission to humans and domestic animals. Once a person is infected and symptoms have developed, rabies is almost always fatal. Therefore, immediate treatment after a bite from a potentially rabid animal is crucial. This treatment is known as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and involves thorough wound cleaning and a series of rabies vaccinations to prevent the virus from taking hold.