The signs can include alterations of behavior, of depression, insanity or aggression, dilation of the pupil, fear of light, muscular incoordenation, excessive salivation, difficulty to swallow due to paralysis of the jaw, multiple cranial nerves deficit, ataxis and peresis of the posterior limbs progressing for paralysis. At first the animals stop drinking and eating. The incubation period, starting from the bite until the beginning of the clinical signs, is variable and can be from two weeks to six months. But starting from the moment that the neurological signs are seen, the disease is quickly progressive, with the death occuring around seven days, in most animals. Bites on the face, head and neck result in shorter incubation periods.
Humans contract the virus through contact with the saliva of the sick animal.
This means that, to be inoculated, the person doesn't necessarily need to be bitten - a cut, wound, deep scratch or burn in its skinin enough to allow the contact with the saliva of the furious. Independent of the way of penetration, the virus always goes for the central nervous system. The time of incubation varies with the nature of the virus, the place of the inoculation and the inoculated amount. If the infection point has been the head, the neck or the superior members, the incubation period will be briefer, because the virus will reach its favorite area faster. Starting from there, the virus migrates towards the tissues, specially towards the saliva glands, from where it is excreted along with the saliva.