Adapted Milwaukee protocol for rabies treatment in a Brazilian indigenous child: case report

This case report describes the treatment of a 12-year-old indigenous Brazilian girl from the Maxakali group with rabies using the adapted Milwaukee Protocol.

The patient suffered a superficial bat bite on her right elbow, reported on April 5, 2022. Despite receiving immunoglobulin, a vaccine, and antiviral medications such as amantadine and sapropterin, the patient succumbed to the disease 25 days after hospital admission. The report highlights the inherent challenges in treating rabies due to the virus’s neurotropic nature and the difficulties in delivering antiviral drugs to the central nervous system. The case underscores the need for early antiviral intervention and calls for more studies to validate and improve treatment protocols for rabies in vulnerable populations, particularly those with genetic and immunological susceptibilities like the Maxakali indigenous group.

The findings suggest that while the Milwaukee Protocol offers some hope, significant obstacles remain in achieving successful outcomes in rabies cases.