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Why don't rabies infected humans act like rabies infected animals (lemmy.today)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by Extrasvhx9he@lemmy.today to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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This always puzzled me. Why don't humans act much more aggressive or crazed like its often depicted with animals. Afaik there's 2 types of rabies, "dumb" and "furious" so my question is more towards the 2nd type. For example, we never hear of rabies causing a human to accidentally bite another human so why is that?

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[–] weeeeum@lemmy.world 47 points 11 months ago

I think it's because humans don't fight much with their mouths. We mostly fight with our arms and more rarely bite and rabies just promotes hyper aggressiveness, of which, these symptoms are exhibited in infected humans.

If restrained instead of sedated a human does get very aggressive, flailing their arms, screaming and hurling insults, even at loved ones and family members. I think given the opportunity there would be some biting, but less often than animals, because again, humans primarily use their arms for violence.