title: Rabies presenting as an acute psychiatric emergency.
abstract: Psychiatrists in South Africa do not expect to encounter rabies in the course of clinical practice. Two cases of this fatal disease presenting as acute psychiatric emergencies, mistakenly suspected at first of being schizophrenia and delirium tremens, are briefly described. Reasons for initial doubt and delay in diagnosis are mentioned and concern mainly uncertainty about the incubation period or changes in the spinal fluid.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011604:Psychoses, Alcoholic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011818:Rabies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*