Learn how to prevent the spread of rabies
Human rabies vaccines exist for pre-exposure immunisation and are recommended for travellers to rabies-affected remote areas.
RABIES is one of the oldest and most deadliest infectious diseases known to man. To date, there is no cure. However, prevention campaigns have proved successful.
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September, 28 marks World Rabies Day, which aims to raise awareness on rabies, the viral disease that affects both animals and humans. Rabies is found in more than 150 countries across the world. Given the severity of the disease, ER24 has issued tips on how to identify and prevent the disease.
Symptoms The incubation period for rabies is one to three months. Initial symptoms of rabies include a fever with pain and unusual or unexplained tingling, pricking, or burning sensation at the wound site. As the virus spreads to the central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and spinal cord develops.
Types of rabies
- Furious rabies: People with this kind of rabies exhibit signs of hyperactivity, excitable behaviour, a fear of water and sometimes of drafts of fresh air. Death occurs after a few days due to cardio respiratory arrest.
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- Paralytic rabies: Muscles become paralysed, starting at the site of the bite or scratch. A coma develops, and eventually, death occurs. The paralytic form of rabies is often misdiagnosed, contributing to the under-reporting of the disease.
Transmission Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths, contributing up to 99 per cent of all rabies transmissions to humans. People are usually infected following a deep bite or scratch from an animal with rabies. Rabies elimination is feasible through the vaccination of dogs and the prevention of dog bites.
Preventative immunisation Human rabies vaccines exist for pre-exposure immunisation and are recommended for travellers to rabies-affected remote areas.
After exposure The immediate treatment of a bite victim after rabies exposure prevents virus entry into the central nervous system. The treatment consists of: extensive washing and local treatment of the wound as soon as possible after exposure. A course of potent and effective rabies vaccine that meets World Health Organisation standards. The administration of rabies immunoglobulin, if indicated Effective treatment soon after exposure can prevent the onset of rabies.
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