Encephalitic rabies following cat bites: two cases in northern Uganda

Although rabies continues to exert a major global health impact, only a very small minority of UK neurologists will ever have encountered cases, and many remain unfamiliar with its diagnosis and management. The recent death of a UK national, in Yorkshire, emphasises the importance of general neurologists having familiarity with the manifestations of rabies. Here, we describe two cases of Ugandan males who developed rapidly fatal encephalitic rabies following cat bites. We outline their clinical features and summarise current diagnostic and management approaches.