Introduction:
Rabies otherwise ‘rabere’ in Latin means ‘to be mad.’ Rabies is a serious disease caused by the Rabies virus and is transmitted through the saliva of the infected dog; it is also a viral zoonotic disease responsible for many deaths.
India is one of the countries with the largest rabies burden Dog slaughtering is also one of the modes of transmission in many countries because dog meat is a delicacy in nations like China, Cambodia, South Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and northern parts of India
Description:
This rabies injection is given to humans who are at risk of a dog bite or have come in close contact with the rabies-infected dog. The vaccine is to be given immediately to the infected person for its effectiveness. After the bite, we should immediately start the dosage schedule of vaccination, the sooner the better.
You need to wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes and after the wash, apply Iodine lotion to the wound. As soon as possible, the infected person should start their vaccine schedule. If the bite case is severe than, administration of Immunoglobulin is advisable. Mortality in RABV infection depends on the severity of infection, location of the bite wound, and sufficient amount of virus in the saliva.
Symptoms of a rabies-infected dog bite:
- Joints pain
- Pain caused while moving the body part of the infected area
- Redness and swelling on the infected area
- Pain that lasts longer than 24 hours
- Fever, shaking, etc.
Rabies Injection is given to people who are at higher risk of coming in contact with rabies viruses like veterinarians, animal keepers, hunters, butchers, personnel in rabies research laboratories, etc., or those with a prior visit to areas in which rabies is endemic.
There are various categories of bites described by WHO, which is as follows:
- Category 1: While touching or feeding animals, animals licks on intact skin or spits their saliva on our skin. This categorical wound is to be washed with running water and soap for 15 minutes.
- Category 2: Nibbling of uncovered skin, minor scratches, or abrasions without bleeding(exposure).
- Category 3: When the infected dog does single or multiple transdermal bites or scratches, contamination of mucous membrane or broken skin with saliva or animal licks (severe exposure).
Before, having the injection, the patient should inform the doctor if he/she has any specific allergies or a deeper wound on the parts of the body. The vaccine helps in developing immunity f the person by making their body immune through such bites and resulting in antibodies.
Rabies Vaccination is mandatory for categories 2 and 3.
Last but not the least, it is held that children are at the highest risk of contracting rabies through dog bites especially in an evolving world where prevalent rabies occurs. So explorers moving to distant rural areas, in particular, should make the decision on pre-exposure rabies vaccination. For this valuation of the risk of exposure to rabid dog bites along with local access to rabies immunoglobulins and vaccines is the need of the hour in diverse endemic regions of the world.
Rabies Vaccination Price:
The charge of ARV is free of cost in government hospitals, but in private hospitals, it ranges from around Rs 300 to 400, and in totality all five doses of vaccine could cost us, Rs 1800 to 2000.