Grandmother's Rabies Only Diagnosed After Psychiatrist's Intervention, Inquest Hears
A grandmother's fatal case of rabies was only identified after she developed hallucinations and a psychiatrist intervened during her hospital assessment, a coroner's inquest has been told.
Yvonne Ford, aged 59, sustained a scratch from a stray dog while on a family holiday at a beach in Morocco during February 2025.
The inquest at Sheffield Coroner's Court heard on Tuesday that Ms Ford did not seek any medical treatment for what she considered a minor injury, instead simply cleaning the scratch with a wet wipe.
Symptoms Emerged Months Later
Approximately four months after the incident, while back at her home in Yorkshire, Ms Ford began exhibiting severe symptoms and was admitted to Barnsley Hospital.
Staff on the short stay ward encountered significant difficulties in diagnosing her condition, which included hallucinations, disorientation, and extreme anxiety.
A psychiatrist, Dr Alexander Burns, was subsequently called to assess the patient. Dr Burns informed the jury that his initial suspicion was Lyme disease, especially after learning Ms Ford had recently visited Florida, though she had not reported any bites there.
Crucial Disclosure from Husband
The situation changed dramatically when Ms Ford's husband provided a vital piece of information.
"I was informed by her husband that, on February 10 2025, Yvonne was bitten by a stray dog on a beach in Morocco whilst on holiday," Dr Burns testified. "The bite had pierced her skin. The short stay unit medical team were not previously aware of that information."
This revelation prompted Dr Burns to become "concerned that the diagnosis may be rabies, in the context of the stray dog bite in Morocco and the various neurological symptoms."
Having never encountered a rabies case before, Dr Burns conducted immediate research. "It became clear that all of Yvonne’s symptoms could be explained by that diagnosis," he stated.
Transfer and Fatal Outcome
Following this critical diagnosis, Mrs Ford was urgently transferred to the specialist infectious disease unit at Sheffield Royal Hallamshire Hospital.
Tragically, she died there on 11 June 2025.
Expert Testimony on Rabies
Infectious diseases expert Dr Katharine Cartwright, from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, provided detailed testimony to the jury regarding the disease.
She explained that rabies is 100 per cent fatal once symptoms manifest. The vaccine, however, is highly effective and has successfully eliminated the virus from the United Kingdom.
Dr Cartwright noted there have been only 26 recorded cases of rabies in the UK since 1946. She also clarified that post-exposure administration of the vaccine can be effective in preventing the disease, but only if administered before any symptoms appear.
The inquest continues to examine the full circumstances surrounding this rare and tragic case.
