We’ve already established that a person infected with the zombie “virus” will likely not show any signs of sickness for an extended period of time. Now ZRS Researcher Jim Wagner suggests that rabies may provide further evidence to support this theory.
Rabies is a viral neuroinvasive disease that causes acute inflammation of the brain, and is almost always fatal if not treated prior to onset of symptoms. It’s transmitted by animals, most commonly from a bite, but occasionally through other forms of body fluid contact. And the similarities between rabies and zombiism don’t end there:
“Early-stage symptoms of rabies include malaise, headache and fever, later progressing to acute pain, violent movements, and uncontrolled mania and aggression.”
In terms of incubation, the rabies virus travels to the brain through peripheral nerves, and so the time period depends on how far the virus must travel to reach the central nervous system. A bite on the neck might result in death within a matter of days, while a scratch on the foot might take many months to show any symptoms.
Wagner argues that a zombie infection likely works the same way. And because the incubation period for rabies can last between ten days and seven years, a zombie outbreak may be nearly impossible to pinpoint, isolate and control if he is correct.
Imagine being infected and not knowing it for almost a decade, then suddenly falling ill, dieing, and coming back to feed on your defenseless family and friends all within just a few hours.
Makes it hard to trust anyone, including yourself.