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Rabies Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, vi ...
has been the main
plot device A plot device or plot mechanism is any technique in a narrative used to move the plot forward. A clichéd plot device may annoy the reader and a contrived or arbitrary device may confuse the reader, causing a loss of the suspension of disbelief ...
or a significant theme in many fictional works. Due to the long history of the virus as well as its neurotropic nature, rabies has been a potent symbol of madness, irrationalism, or an unstoppable plague in numerous fictional works, in many genres. Many notable examples are listed below.


Examples


In films

(Chronological, then alphabetical within years) * ''The Lighthouse Keepers'' (1929), a film directed by Jean Grémillon, based on a play * ''Rabies'' (1958), a film directed by
Ingmar Bergman Ernst Ingmar Bergman (14 July 1918 – 30 July 2007) was a Swedish film director, screenwriter, producer and playwright. Widely considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, his films are known as "profoundly ...
* In the classic film '' Rage'' (1966), starring Glenn Ford and
Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born Estelle Eggleston; October 1, 1938) is a American former actress. She began her acting career in 1959 and starred in such popular films as '' Girls! Girls! Girls!'' (1962), '' The Nutty Professor'' (1963), '' The Courtship o ...
, a doctor in rural Mexico is infected with rabies and desperately struggles to return to civilization and seek treatment. A major scene in the film shows a rabid man exhibiting symptoms being restrained by locals. * '' I Drink Your Blood'' (1970; also known as ''Hydro-Phobia'') is a
cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. Thi ...
horror film about a gang of Satanic
hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
s who get infected with rabies. * In the horror film '' Rabid'' (1977) starring
Marilyn Chambers Marilyn Ann Taylor (née Briggs; April 22, 1952 – April 12, 2009), known professionally as Marilyn Chambers, was an American pornographic actress, exotic dancer, model, actress, singer and vice-presidential candidate. She was known f ...
, a critically injured woman receives plastic surgery that treats some of her intact tissue to become morphogenetically neutral, in hopes that tissue grafts to fire-damaged areas of her body will differentiate and replace the damaged skin and organs. Instead, the woman becomes a parasitic monster whose victims transform into rabid zombies whose bites spread the disease. *''
Paris Trout ''Paris Trout'' is a 1991 made-for-television drama film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, starring Dennis Hopper, Barbara Hershey, and Ed Harris. It is based on the novel '' Paris Trout'' by author Pete Dexter. Plot Paris Trout is an unrepenta ...
'' (1991), a drama film directed by
Stephen Gyllenhaal Stephen Roark Gyllenhaal (; born October 4, 1949) is an American film director and poet. He is the father of actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Personal life Gyllenhaal was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Virginia Lowrie (née Childs) and ...
. Set in 1940s rural Georgia, the film begins with a young girl being bitten by a rabid fox. * In ''
28 Days Later ''28 Days Later'' is a 2002 British Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Alex Garland. It stars Cillian Murphy as a bicycle courier who awakens from a coma to discover th ...
'' (2002), a horror film set in post-apocalyptic Britain, an artificial virus called "Rage" causes humans to become frenzied and uncontrollably aggressive. The virus exhibits similar features to rabies, with discoloration of the eyes, unpredictable behavior, the urge to bite, and the spread of the virus through saliva. While the behaviour of the infected characters in the film was modeled after the effects of advanced rabies in humans, the comic book '' 28 Days Later: The Aftermath'' states that the virus is, in fact, a carrier of ebola mixed with a calming agent that went rogue. * '' ��REC' (2007), is a zombie horror film in which an apartment building is quarantined after the breakout of an unknown virus (a strain of rabies). * In '' Quarantine'' (2008), a Hollywood remake of the Spanish horror movie ''
REC REC or Rec is a shortening of Recording, the process of capturing data onto a storage medium. REC may also refer to: Educational institutes * Regional Engineering College, colleges of engineering and technology education in India * Rajalakshmi ...
'' about a mutated variation of rabies, an apartment building is quarantined after an outbreak of an unknown virus. One resident of the building, a veterinarian, suspects it is a case of rabies. * In the animated film '' Fantastic Mr. Fox'' (2009), based on
Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime Flying ace, fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. ...
's famous 1970 children's novel of the same name, Spitz the beagle is shown to have rabies. * In the movie '' The Crazies'' (2010), a small town in Iowa is infected with a biochemically modified form of the family Rhabdoviridae released accidentally by the United States Army. However, in the movie, the RNA virus begins as a water-borne pathogen, and there is speculation that the virus may have mutated into an air-borne pathogen. * In ''
Marmaduke ''Marmaduke'' is a newspaper comic strip revolving around the Winslow family and their Great Dane, Marmaduke, drawn by Brad Anderson from June 1954 to 2015. Publication history The strip was created by Anderson, and sold to the John F. Dill ...
'' (2010), the character Chupadogra (Buster) (voiced by
Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...
) was believed to have rabies and ate his owner, however later in the film, it is shown to be false. * ''Rabies'' (2010 film), an Israeli film by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado *In '' Trollhunter'' (2011), a movie about college students following a government trollhunter, the trolls have been infected with rabies, causing them to behave erratically. *In '' The Barrens'' (2012), Stephen Moyer's character Richard has been bitten by his rabid dog. Richard suffers from the final symptoms of rabies as he and his family are camping in the
New Jersey Pine Barrens The New Jersey Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands or simply the Pines, is the largest remaining example of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecosystem, stretching across more than seven counties of New Jersey. Two other large, contiguou ...
and being stalked by the legendary
Jersey Devil In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil (also known as the Leeds Devil) is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forest of Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying bip ...
.


In literature

(Alphabetical, by first author's surname) *In
K. A. Applegate Katherine Alice Applegate (born October 9, 1956), known professionally as K. A. Applegate or Katherine Applegate, is an American young adult and children's fiction writer, best known as the author of the ''Animorphs'', '' Remnants'', ''Everworld ...
and ghostwriter Emily Costello's novel '' The Journey'' (2000), book 42 of the
Animorphs ''Animorphs'' is a science fantasy series of children's books written by Katherine Applegate and her husband Michael Grant, writing together under the name K. A. Applegate, and published by Scholastic. It is told in first person, with all ...
children's book series, one of the main characters, Marco, is bitten by a rabid dog while attempting to retrieve a camera from an apartment. Marco begins to experience early symptoms of the virus, but when he morphs into a cockroach, the virus is destroyed. * In
Max Brooks Maximillian Michael Brooks (born May 22, 1972) is an American actor and author. He is the son of comedy filmmaker Mel Brooks and actress Anne Bancroft. Much of Brooks's writing focuses on zombie stories. He is a senior fellow at the Modern War ...
' post-apocalyptic horror novel, '' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War'' (2006), the virus that turns people into zombies is at first thought to be a mutated strain of rabies, and is called "African rabies" throughout the earlier chapters. *
Fred Gipson Frederick Benjamin "Fred" Gipson (February 7, 1908 – August 14, 1973) was an American writer and screenwriter. He is best known for writing the 1956 novel '' Old Yeller'', which became a popular 1957 Walt Disney film. Gipson was born on a far ...
and illustrator Carl Burger's
children's novel Children's literature or juvenile literature includes stories, books, magazines, and poems that are created for children. Modern children's literature is classified in two different ways: genre or the intended age of the reader. Children's ...
''
Old Yeller ''Old Yeller'' is a 1956 children's novel written by Fred Gipson and illustrated by Carl Burger. It received a Newbery Honor in 1957. The title is taken from the name of the yellow dog who is the center of the book's story. In 1957, Walt Disne ...
'' (1956) and its 1957 film adaptation involves a frontier dog that becomes infected with furious rabies by a rabid wild wolf * In Zora Neale Hurston's novel ''
Their Eyes Were Watching God ''Their Eyes Were Watching God'' is a 1937 novel by American writer Zora Neale Hurston. It is considered a classic of the Harlem Renaissance, and Hurston's best known work. The novel explores main character Janie Crawford's "ripening from a vi ...
'' (1937), the character Tea Cake becomes infected with rabies from a dog bite. * In Stephen King's psychological horror novel ''
Cujo ''Cujo'' () is a 1981 psychological horror novel by American writer Stephen King about a rabid Saint Bernard. The novel won the British Fantasy Award in 1982 and was made into a film in 1983. Background Cujo's name was based on the alias of ...
'' (1981), and 1983 film adaptation, a mother and son are terrorized by a St. Bernard infected with furious rabies * In
Joe R. Lansdale Joe Richard Lansdale (born October 28, 1951) is an American writer and martial arts instructor. A prose writer in a variety of genres - Western, horror, science fiction, mystery, and suspense - he's also written comic books and screenplays. ...
's novel ''Bad Chili'' (1997), one of the
protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
s is bitten by a rabid squirrel. *
Harper Lee Nelle Harper Lee (April 28, 1926February 19, 2016) was an American novelist best known for her 1960 novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird''. It won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic of modern American literature. Lee has received numerou ...
's novel ''
To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a novel by the American author Harper Lee. It was published in 1960 and was instantly successful. In the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' has become a ...
'' (1960) uses the imagery of a rabid dog to represent the prejudices of the town of Maycomb, Alabama. * In Daniel P. Mannix and illustrator
John Schoenherr John Carl Schoenherr (July 5, 1935 – April 8, 2010) was an American illustrator. He won the 1988 Caldecott Medal for U.S. children's book illustration, recognizing '' Owl Moon'' by Jane Yolen, which recounts the story of the first time a father ...
's novel ''
The Fox and the Hound ''The Fox and the Hound'' is a 1981 American animated buddy drama film produced by Walt Disney Productions and loosely based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Daniel P. Mannix. The 24th Disney animated feature film, the film tells the st ...
'' (1967), a rabid fox attacks a group of children. * Gabriel García Márquez's novel '' Of Love and Other Demons'' (1994) is a love story between Sierva María de Todos los Ángeles, the protagonist who is bitten by a rabid dog on her 12th birthday, and Father Cayetano Delaura, who is sent to exorcise her. * David Morrell's novel ''The Totem'' (1979) centers on a northwestern town that is terrorized by humans and animals infected with a (fictitious) variant of the rabies virus, which does not kill the infected, but does affect their minds and physiology (leading characters in the book to speculate that victims of this virus were the origin of the werewolf myth). *In
Chuck Palahniuk Charles Michael "Chuck" Palahniuk (; born February 21, 1962) is an American freelance journalist and novelist who describes his work as transgressional fiction. He has published 19 novels, three nonfiction books, two graphic novels, and two adu ...
's novel ''
Rant A diatribe (from the Greek ''διατριβή''), also known less formally as rant, is a lengthy oration, though often reduced to writing, made in criticism of someone or something, often employing humor, sarcasm, and appeals to emotion. Hist ...
: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey'' (2007), the main character infects those around him with rabies. * Borislav Pekić's horror-thriller novel '' Besnilo'' (1983; in English: ''Rabies'') is about a genetically engineered rabies virus with a double protein envelope, thus extremely easy to transmit (biting is not necessary any more), which spreads from one victim to another extremely fast. The virus gets turned loose at the London's Heathrow Airport. *
Malayattoor Ramakrishnan K. V. Ramakrishna Iyer, better known by his pen name, Malayattoor Ramakrishnan (27 May 1927 – 27 December 1997), was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, cartoonist, lawyer, judicial magistrate, and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) o ...
's novel ''
Verukal ''Verukal'' ( en, Roots) is a Malayalam semi-autobiographical novel written by Malayattoor Ramakrishnan in 1966. It is widely credited as one of his best works. It won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award in 1967. Plot summary ''Verukal'' tells th ...
'' (1966) vividly describes a death from rabies when, in a side plot, the character Ramu dies of the disease. *
Yuriy Shcherbak Yuriy Mykolayovych Shcherbak ( uk, Ю́рій Микола́йович Щерба́к; born 23 October 1934) is a Ukrainian writer, screenwriter, publicist, epidemiologist, politician, diplomat, and environmental activist. Doctor of Medicine ( ...
's documentary novel (1986; in English: ''Causes and Consequences'') about the struggle against rabies in Ukraine. * Wilbur Smith's novel ''
When the Lion Feeds ''When the Lion Feeds'' (1964) is the debut novel of Rhodesian writer Wilbur Smith. It introduces the Courtney family, whose adventures Smith would tell in many subsequent novels. In 2012, Smith said the novel remained his favourite because it ...
'' (1964) describes in harrowing detail the events ensuing from one of the main characters' death following a bite from a rabid
jackal Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...
. *
Vikas Swarup Vikas Swarup (born 22 June 1961) is a retired Indian diplomat and writer. He retired from the Indian Foreign Service as the Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, India on 30 June 2021 and has previously served as High Commission ...
's novel '' Q & A'' (2005) devotes one chapter to a rabies epidemic in Agra, during which the main character's new friend contracts rabies from a dog bite and dies. The main character tries to save him, but is unable to obtain the money needed for a vaccine.


In music


Albums

* ''Rabies'' (Ruoska album) (2008), an album by Ruoska * ''Rabies'' (Skinny Puppy album) (1989), an album by Skinny Puppy


Songs

* "Rabies" (1982), a song by NWBHM band Witchfinder General * "Sunset Babies (All Got Rabies)", a song from
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
's album, ''
Dirty Diamonds ''Dirty Diamonds'' is the seventeenth solo studio album by American rock musician Alice Cooper, released on July 4, 2005 internationally, and August 2 in the US. The album peaked on Billboard's "Top Independent Albums" chart at #17, and the ''Bi ...
'' (2005)


In television

(Alphabetical, by series title) Many television series have dedicated at least one episode to storylines involving rabies infected entities. *''
1000 Ways to Die ''1000 Ways to Die'' is an American anthology television series that aired on Spike from May 14, 2008 to July 15, 2012, and also aired on Comedy Central during its run. The program recreates unusual supposed deaths, true events, and debunked u ...
'', is a television series which, in Episode 39 ("The One About Dumb People Dying"), told a story about a taxidermist who contracts the disease from an infected squirrel. * The ''
Beavis and Butt-Head ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' is an American adult animated series created by Mike Judge. The series follows Beavis and Butt-Head, both voiced by Judge, a pair of teenage slackers characterized by their apathy, lack of intelligence, lowbrow humor, an ...
'' episode "Rabies Scare" has Beavis get bitten by a rabid dog. He bites antacid tablets to simulate foaming at the mouth. * In '' Blue Mountain State'' Season 1, linebacker Thad Castle admits to using rabies as a performance enhancer because it gives him the same competitive edge as steroids but is undetectable to the NCAA's tests. Runningback Craig Shilo later shoots up with Thad's rabies before a competition with a prospective freshman runningback. * ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'', in Season 12, episode 25, titled "A Time to Die", Ben's friend, April Christopher, gets bitten by a rabid wolf. *In "The Fury" story arc of the
Nordic Noir Nordic noir, also known as Scandinavian noir or Scandi noir, is a genre of crime fiction usually written from a police point of view and set in Scandinavia or Nordic countries. Plain language avoiding metaphor and set in bleak landscapes results ...
television series '' Bordertown'', Season 1, an illegal dog fighting ring forces female athletes to fight dogs that have been deliberately infected with rabies. * In the Season 27 episode of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
TV series ''
Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster ** Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known a ...
'', titled "If Not For You", a dog-bite patient is suspected to be suffering from rabies contracted through a
corneal transplant Corneal transplantation, also known as corneal grafting, is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue (the graft). When the entire cornea is replaced it is known as penetrating keratoplasty a ...
performed in
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, causing a rare case where a human may have given a dog rabies. * In the ''
Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was revived in 2022. It ...
'' Season 9 episode "Rabid", a sadistic kidnapper intentionally infects his victims with rabies and derives pleasure from videotaping their subsequent violent behavior. * In the ''
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...
'' Season 9 episode, " The Gone Dead Train", the CSIs are brought in to investigate a series of deaths tied in with rabies. * In the Season 4 episode of '' Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman'', called "Brother's Keeper", Ingrid (the fiancée of a main character) contracts rabies and dies as a result. * In Season 13 of '' ER'', a young boy contracts rabies. * In Season 4 episode of ITV's '' Heartbeat'', entitled "Mid Day Sun", a family smuggles their rabies-infected dog into the UK and a garage worker dies, resulting in a search across the North Yorkshire Moors for the rabid animal and its eventual shooting. * In the Season Two '' Highway Patrol'' episode "Rabies", Chief Mathews and the Highway Patrol have to find a young girl who was bitten by a dog at a gas station when the dog later displays the signs of rabies four days after the bite. After an urgent search complicated by the girl and her widowed mother making frequent random stops in rural areas while traveling on vacation, Mathews and an accompanying doctor eventually find the girl and successfully inoculate her against the rabies virus. * In ''
Home Movies A home movie is a short amateur film or video typically made just to preserve a visual record of family activities, a vacation, or a special event, and intended for viewing at home by family and friends. Originally, home movies were made on p ...
'', Season 1, Episode 4 ("Brendon Gets Rabies"), vacationing neighbors leave their cat to be watched while out of town. The cat eventually escapes and is later found in a rabid state. The cat then bites Brendon while he attempts to catch it, and both are rushed off to the veterinarian for intensive care. * In a Season 1 episode of '' House M.D.'', titled "
Histories Histories or, in Latin, Historiae may refer to: * the plural of history * ''Histories'' (Herodotus), by Herodotus * ''The Histories'', by Timaeus * ''The Histories'' (Polybius), by Polybius * ''Histories'' by Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust), ...
",
Dr. Gregory House Gregory House, Doctor of Medicine, M.D. is the title character, titular protagonist of the American medical drama series ''House (TV series), House''. Created by David Shore and portrayed by English actor Hugh Laurie, he leads a team of diagno ...
works to diagnose a homeless woman's illness, and it turns out she is infected with rabies from an untreated bat bite. * In '' King of the Hill'', Season 4, Episode 9 (" To Kill a Ladybird"), a paranoid Dale Gribble runs away in the woods, afraid that he may have been infected with rabies by a raccoon. * In '' Letterkenny'', Season 1, Episode 5 ("
Rave A rave (from the verb: '' to rave'') is a dance party at a warehouse, club, or other public or private venue, typically featuring performances by DJs playing electronic dance music. The style is most associated with the early 1990s dance mus ...
"), an opossum bites Daryl when he tries to capture it, infecting him with rabies. * A dog bites Radar in the Season 3 '' M*A*S*H'' episode, "Mad Dogs and Servicemen". * The Season 5 episode of '' Scrubs'', titled "My Lunch", deals with the death of three patients resulting from organ transplants from an infected patient. * In '' Seinfeld'', Season 5, Episode 3: "The Glasses", Elaine is bitten by a strange dog, has trouble communicating with the doctor about whether she should get a shot, and later suspects she has rabies when she has difficulty swallowing. * In the Series 3, Episode 4 of ''Survivors'' (1975 TV series), titled " Mad Dog" (April 6, 1977), a man who saves Charles from an attack by a pack of feral dogs discovers he is infected and begins exhibiting signs of furious rabies * In Season 1, Episode 6 of ITV's ''
The Grand The Grand may refer to: Buildings Official names * The Grand (Calgary), a theatre in Alberta, Canada *The Grand (Ellsworth, Maine), an arts center in Maine, U.S. * The Grand Doubletree, condominium and hotel skyscraper in Miami, U.S. * The Grand C ...
'', John Bannerman and Clive Evans are bitten by a dog suspected of having rabies. * In the 1983 BBC TV series '' The Mad Death'', Britain is gripped by an outbreak of rabies after an afflicted pet cat is illegally smuggled into the country. * In the Season 4 premiere of '' The Office'', Michael Scott, after running Meredith Palmer over with his car, finds out she may have been infected with rabies after she tells a doctor she had been bitten by a bat, raccoon, and a rat (all in separate instances). To detract from his own negligence, he organizes "Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Memorial Celebrity Rabies Awareness Pro-Am Fun Run Race For the Cure" in her honor.


In video games

* '' Left 4 Dead'' and '' Left 4 Dead 2'' by
Valve A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fitting ...
are both set during an apocalyptic pandemic caused by a rabies-like virus that infects humans and causes them to attack any non-infected on sight.


References

{{Reflist