Rabies: Keeping your loved ones safe
World Rabies Day is observed 28 September, with this year’s theme being “Rabies: One Health, Zero Deaths” highlighting our connection with the environment.The aim is to raise awareness around the impact of human and animal rabies, how easy it is to prevent, and how to eliminate the main global sources.
According to the World Health Organisation, an estimated 55 000 human deaths occur worldwide per year due to canine rabies, accounting for 1 death and 300 exposures every 15 minutes. Almost all human fatalities occur in developing countries with 56% occurring in Asia and 44% in Africa.
The government is already providing a valuable contribution through their continuous vaccination campaigns in the rural population, and private veterinarians are also doing their utmost to advocate to owners to vaccinate their dogs and cats.
The Veterinary Association of Namibia wants to remind the public that the vaccination of domestic dogs and cats is mandatory by law. It remains the responsibility of pet owners to ensure that their pets are vaccinated and also to be aware that people that may have been exposed to the rabies virus receive the correct post-exposure treatment immediately.
Are you confident that you, your family, and your neighbours know exactly what to do in the case of a suspected rabies infection?
Assume the worst if an animal bites you or a loved one and get immediate treatment rather than waiting for symptoms to arise. Read these protocols and share them with as many people around you so that every person knows what to do in a case of a suspected rabies outbreak.
1. Keep track of where the suspect animal is and inform state veterinary services.
2. Contact your medical doctor.
3. Whilst waiting for medical assistance, wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes. This dilutes the amount of virus in the wound.
4. The suspected rabid animal will be euthanised if it was not vaccinated appropriately. The animal will then be tested for rabies using brain material.
5. If it is vaccinated it will be quarantined for 10 days to assess its symptoms. If it dies within those 10 days it will be tested for rabies.
6. The exposed person must immediately receive post-exposure prophylactic (PEP) treatment. You should never wait for the animal’s test results before seeking PEP. PEP should start on Day 0 (the day of exposure) or as soon as possible after that. This might seem minor, but it is a major issue in practice and is the difference between life or death – especially if the person was exposed on the face. The exposed person can possibly receive antibodies (rabies immunoglobulins - RIG) to combat the virus at the site of infection, but it depends on the exposure category (if there was blood, even a drop visible after the interaction with the animal, RIG should be received).People who have been vaccinated against rabies donate their plasma containing antibodies against the rabies virus to help treat people who have been exposed but not previously vaccinated. The correct and complete post exposure treatment protocol is the only way to prevent death as a result of rabies.
7. Once a person starts to show symptoms, there is nothing that can be done. This is heartbreaking because rabies is preventable!
8. The incubation period (time between exposure to the virus and showing rabies symptoms) can be anything from a week to several months or even years. This depends on where the virus has entered the body. For example, it will take longer for the virus to travel via the nerves to the brain of the patient from a wound on the foot, vs. a patient that was bitten on the face. This is why immediate and correct PEP is so important. Once the virus has entered the nervous system there is not much that can be done for the patient.
Important facts to remember about rabies:
• Both mammals and humans can be infected by rabies.
• Rabies is 100% fatal.
• Rabies is 100% preventable.
• State vaccination campaigns provide free vaccines.
• Rabies isn’t limited to occurrence in rural areas, but also in urban areas.
• Anti-vaccination campaigns in humans shouldn’t affect vaccination for pets.
• State veterinary services are involved in the diagnosis of a rabid animal. Officials must be called immediately after exposure so they can collect the animal in question and have it tested.
• The only way you can test for rabies is by collecting and submitting an animal’s brain, which means it must be killed first.
• Sadly, most rabies fatalities occur in children as children are more inclined to touch animals than adults. Unfortunately, because a lick, scratch or bite doesn’t always present as ‘serious’ in the eyes of the parent, they might not seek medical attention until the child presents symptoms and then it is already too late.
• Adults must educate their children about rabies and responsible pet ownership in order to save their lives.
• It is important to remember not to pick up stray dogs when on holiday in other regions and take them home. This is how rabies can break out in a region that may not have an outbreak at the time. Rather inform the local welfare services in the area to assist, inspect and rescue the stray animals. Not all animals with rabies will look sick or be aggressive, especially shortly after being exposed.