Rabies has a nice trick concerning the +% Poison Skill Damage and -% Enemy Poison Resistance. After an opponent is infected with rabies, if the equipment is switched to a higher +% Poison Skill Damage and -% Enemy Poison Resistance equipment (called the Poison Skill Damage Gear), the remaining damage is calculated according to that higher damage equipment, and if switched to a lower +% Poison Skill Damage and -% Enemy Poison Resistance equipment, that will not reduce the damage. So the higher one is used when there is a weapon switch or equipment change. Usually, high damage rabies setups are 1h setups, and it can be harder to hit the enemy with it, so hitting with range 5 and switching will be more effective.
The most damage can be achieved via an infection by Plague Bearer Unique Rune Sword then switching to a 4 Socketed Shield + 6 Socketed Weapon, + 10x Poison Rainbow Facet Unique Jewels. In some cases, The 6 Socketed Weapon can be changed with a Death's Web Unique Unearthed Wand depending on the resistances of the enemy.
Again, for the Poison Skill Damage Gear to work, switching to it and back will also work, you don't need to switch and stay with that.
