Under the supervision of the Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Professor Dr. Sarmed H. Kathem Alkhateeb, the University Psychological Counseling Unit at the University of Baghdad/College of Pharmacy held a scientific discussion session entitled “The Deadly Disease: Rabies”, presented by Pharmacist Ali Al-Zabari along with a group of members from the Pharmacine Club (Student Scientific Research Club), under the supervision of Assistant Professor Dr. Lubna Abdalkarim Sabri, a faculty member at the Pharmaceutics Department.
The session aimed to raise awareness regarding rabies, one of the most dangerous and deadly viral diseases, and to shed light on the latest research developments and therapeutic challenges associated with it.
The session covered several topics, including an introductory overview of rabies, its global prevalence, associated mortality rates, and modes of viral transmission. Also, it included an explanation of the genetic structure of the rabies virus, its mechanism of entry into the nerve cells, and its gradual attack on the central nervous system, which explains the difficulty of treatment after symptoms occur. In addition, clinical management of dog bite victims, including urgent preventive measures and currently approved treatment protocols, was addressed. Furthermore, the session discussed how rabies treatment protocols have evolved over the decades and reviewed the latest studies discussing the scientific basis of new therapeutic approaches, their mechanisms of action, advantages, and the main obstacles preventing their clinical application to date.
The session concluded that there is a need to promote health awareness about rabies and adherence to preventive practices, while emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and supporting scientific research to develop more effective treatments that can be clinically implemented in the future.
