Milwaukee Protocol

Rabies is a disease which can be stopped very effectively if treated soon after infection. When the virus proceeds to the central nervous system and begins to manifest symptoms, rabies is a disease which causes almost certain death. However, utilizing a procedure known as the Milwaukee protocol, Jeanna Giese survived an advanced case of unvaccinated rabies in ‘05. Doctors induced coma when symptoms appeared and administered a cocktail of drugs that helped save her life.

The theory that her treatment was based on postulated that the symptoms of rabies were caused by temporary problems with brain function and could be avoided by slowing down the nervous system long enough to allow the body and antivirals to fight the virus.

Jeanna Giese remained in a coma for six days. When she showed signs of defeating the virus doctors ended her coma but she remained in isolation for another 31 days. After 76 days, Giese was released with minimal permanent damage and hopes of a full recovery. She is now attending college and blogs regularly on the issue of rabies.

The Milwaukee protocol uses the drugs midazolam, phenobarbital, ribavirin andamantadine. The survival rate associated with this version of the treatment is only 2 in 25. The protocol has since been modified to omit ribavirin and 2 of 10 patients have survived rabies using the new method.