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| Rabies |
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Rabies continues to kill 59,000 people a year, with a majority of these occurring in Africa and Asia. On September 28 World Rabies Day is observed annually to raise awareness about rabies prevention.
This year’s World Rabies Day theme is: “One Health, Zero Death”- One Health highlights the connection of the environment with both people and animals and how control of infection in animals helps control of infection in humans. Zero by 30 is a Global Strategic Plan for the elimination of dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030 and is an ambitious project.
While a variety of animal species can host rabies, dogs are responsible for 99% of human cases. Eliminating rabies in dogs is therefore key to prevent human disease. Important aspect of prevention is by safe and efficacious animal and human rabies vaccines and these are important tools to eliminate human deaths from rabies.
Some measures to be taken for the dogs, pet or stray are the following-
1. Vaccinate your pet dogs. As a public health measure mass dog vaccination is a proven, cost–effective way to save human lives by stopping transmission of rabies- by primarily preventing rabies in dogs.
2. Controlling dog population by animal birth control (ABC) measures
3. Not to provoke or tease dogs or for that any animal
4. Safe disposal of food waste and thus avoiding formation of packs of dogs are also important measures.
Children are noted most vulnerable for dog bites and special precautions need to be taken. At the individual level, for those exposed to rabies there are effective interventions which needs to be done as soon as possible. Wound cleansing- thoroughly for 15 minutes with soap and water and also preferably irrigate the wound by a virucidal agent like povidone-iodine solution.
Wound be classified as class 1, 2 or 3 based on skin integrity to decide treatment with vaccine and rabies immune globulin or rabies monoclonal antibody. Pre-exposure prophylaxis is advised to high-risk groups, including veterinarians, laboratory workers, and travellers who are at risk.
Appropriate wound management and prompt access to quality-assured PEP is almost 100% effective in preventing human rabies and deaths.
Dr. A. Rajalakshmi DNB, CIC, FRCP, FIDSA
Senior Consultant in Infectious Diseases
Group Lead - HIC, KIMSHEALTH, Trivandrum
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