RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The first Brazilian to be cured from rabies was discharged from a hospital in Recife, in northeastern Pernambuco state, on Friday.

    Bitten by a bat while sleeping, the patient, 16-year-old Marciano Menezes da Silva, caught rabies in September 2008. He spent over 100 days in the intensive care unit since being hospitalized in October.

    According to the Oswaldo Cruz Hospital, because of the disease the patient had difficulty in walking and speaking. He would continue receiving treatment for this and hip surgery in three weeks.

    The boy underwent experimental treatment, the so-called Milwaukee protocol, which was developed in the United States in 2004. The treatment involves putting the patient in a chemically- induced coma and using anti-viral medicine, sedatives and anesthetics.

    So far, the Milwaukee protocol has been used on several patients worldwide. Silva was among the only three successful cases. The other two are U.S. girls aged 16 and 10.

    Rabies is a highly deadly disease. One contracts rabies by being bitten by animals such as dogs, cats, bats, foxes or cattle. The disease affects the nervous system, causing symptoms like paralysis, anxiety and hallucinations.