Re: cant sleep because of rabies worries, PLEASE REPLY
So, Lavender, you are worried about rabies from a vaccine, as well as contracting it yourself from this mystery animal. Let's begin with the vaccine. Vaccines are not just "here, let's inject the virus into you" or anything like that. In fact, many vaccines are designed in a different manner nowadays. All viruses, from rabies (lyssavirus) to the common cold (rhinovirus) are comprised of a protein coat and viral RNA. The protien coat never enters the cell, just the RNA is injected. This RNA overwrites the cell's normal function from whatever it was to "Make as many copies of the virus as possible." The way vaccines work is different depending on what is used, but there are two major ways it is done. Thie first is that the virus is heated well beyond fever temperatures (above 104 degrees F, often higher) to the point that the Viral RNA cannot work properly and does nothing. This "Whole virus" vaccine is then injected, but since it can't do anything the body is able to fight it and develop a resistance.
The other way vaccines are made is based around the protein coat. Each virus species has a unique protein coat to prevent it from dissolving in the body. The flu's coat is going to be different than rabies's coat, but serves the same purpose (like different cars). Some modern vaccines take a small part of the protein coat and nothing else, and inject that. Your body learns to attack that protein coat, so when the real deal shows up it reacts the same way.
Whichever type the rabies vaccine is, it is impossible for the vaccine to hurt you.
Now, let's talk about your little sister and her cat. Yes, it is true that cats can carry and transmit rabies. You wouldn't be worried if you didn't know that. HOWEVER, even if an animal has rabies, they cannot transmit it until around a week before they show symptoms, and even then ONLY through saliva. Rabies cannot be transmitted through claws, or sweat, or even animal poop. Theoretically an infected human could bite another human to get them sick, but they'd be foaming at the mouth by then. The only known human/human transmissions have been through donated organs.
Now, what's really important is this stray cat. Here's how rabies with pets works, because odds are you don't wanna put your precious puppy/kitty down should it bite someone. Essentially, the animal is put on quarantine and monitored for two to three weeks. If it does not show rabies by then, it was incapable of transmitting at the time of the bite. Again, I said BITE, because scratches won't transmit the virus. They sting, but they'd need saliva to get someone sick.
Lastly, the pizza. Even if we go down the rabbit hole to wonderland and assume that merely touching an object places rabies on it, rabies cannot spread across a surface unlike bacteria. Bacteria can self-replicate, viruses need animal cells to do so. If there was a place for you to bite where she hadn't touched, no rabies or other viruses were in that spot. (Next time take a bite of your husband's to avoid the scare though)
Lastly, I'd like to mention the idea of knowing the truth but still fearing the lie. I've been panicking over rabies myself recently, and scratches have begun appearing on my skin because dry winter hands and I forgot to buy hand lotion. My mind is screaming rabies even though I know it's not. No bats live in my area this time of year, and my college dorm is a closed room whose door stays closed. But even still those marks kinda look scary. I've talked to my doctor to up my prozac by 10mg, and in a few days we will see if it helps. Talk to your doctor about antianxiety meds if you don't take them already. They help a lot.
Stay calm, be rational, and keep pushing through. There's no mountain without a peak, and once you get there it's smooth sailing all the way down.
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