A British woman who died from rabies after being scratched by a dog in Morocco was only diagnosed after a psychiatrist was called in to assess her symptoms, an inquest has heard. Yvonne Ford, 59, from Barnsley, was scratched by a puppy on a beach in Morocco in February and cleaned the wound with a wet wipe, choosing not to seek medical treatment.
Ford and her family returned to England, where she later developed symptoms. Doctors at Barnsley Hospital struggled to diagnose her and referred her to a psychiatrist, suspecting a mental health condition. Psychiatrist Alexander Burns told Sheffield Coroner's Court that he initially suspected Lyme disease but became concerned about rabies after Ford's husband mentioned the dog scratch.
Burns said he had never encountered rabies in his career but, after researching the disease, it became clear that all of Ford's symptoms could be explained by that diagnosis. Rabies, a viral infection causing brain inflammation, leads to symptoms including anxiety, hallucinations, dizziness, and difficulty swallowing. It has a 100% fatality rate once symptoms appear.
Ford was transferred to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, where she died on June 11, four months after the scratch. Katharine Cartwright, an infectious diseases expert, told the inquest that there have been only 26 confirmed cases of rabies in the UK since 1946, but post-exposure vaccination can prevent the disease if given before symptoms develop.
Ford's family have since raised awareness about rabies. Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, has joined the charity Mission Rabies, vaccinating dogs in countries like Cambodia and Malawi, saying she wants to help people in her mother's memory.
