Coma cure: Doctor saves girl from rabies by "stopping" brain

Xeni Jardin 9:16 am Thu Nov 25, 2004

BoingBoing reader Xopl says,

Driving home for Thanksgivings, I listed to an interview on Minnesota Public Radio with a Milwaukee, WI doctor who saved the life of a girl who had contracted rabies from a bat. The disease is known as having a 100% fatality rate if you do not receive a vaccine before symptoms show, but the girl's doctor didn't accept that and developed an entirely new way to treat the disease. Apparently, rabies causes the brain to attack the body, and that is what causes death. By putting the girl into a coma he managed to stop the brain from being able to do any damage while the girl's immune system defeated the virus. This is a reminder that sometimes the impossible is possible if you don't listen to those who tell you otherwise. The Associated Press is also covering the story, which can be read in any number of places.

Reader Kim Brennan says,

Rabies is not 100% fatal (to humans) if you have shown symptoms, but all previous survival cases DID receive the vaccine after symptoms had shown. This was the first case of survival without the vaccine.

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