Hydrophobia is another name for rabies. Eventually, the virus destroys the part of the brain that controls breathing and the person dies. Only 3 people have ever survived rabies once symptoms of the viral infection begin. Many people have been sucessfully treated to prevent the virus from destroying the person's nervous system. Therefore, in this disease prevention is key to avoiding rabies infections and disease.
Rabies can infect almost all mammals.
The virus also attacks their nerve cells causing them to act in very unusually and aggressive ways. Domesticated cats, dogs, cattle, horses, mules, sheep, goats, pigs, and ferrets can all get rabies and give it to humans. Wild animals including skunks, bats, and racoons can also get rabies and give it to humans. Human rabies is very rare. About 50,000 human rabies cases are reported each year in the world.