Posted by Dr Michelle Wright
Hello and welcome to the final Health Matters before the Summer break. Dr Michelle Wright with you as usual – British-trained GP and director of first aid and health education company, HealthFirst.
With the summer holiday period in full swing, many of us are gearing up to travel abroad – perhaps to destinations where the health risks can be underestimated.
Just recently, a British woman tragically died after being scratched by a dog while visiting Morocco. Sadly, her case highlights a very real but preventable danger for travellers.
What is rabies, and how is it transmitted?
Rabies is a viral illness that attacks the central nervous system – the brain and spinal cord. It’s usually spread through the saliva of infected mammals, most commonly via bites or scratches from dogs.
In fact, up to 99% of human rabies cases are caused by dogs. The disease exists on every continent except Antarctica and is most prevalent in Africa and Asia – popular destinations for European travellers. And once symptoms appear, rabies is virtually 100% fatal.
Who is most at risk, and what are the symptoms?
Globally, rabies causes around 59,000 deaths each year, and children between the ages of 5 and 14 are the most frequent victims.
The incubation period – that’s the time between exposure and the first symptoms – is usually 2 to 3 months, but it can be as short as a week which is why it’s crucial not to delay seeking care.
Early symptoms of rabies include fever, pain, and unusual tingling at the bite site. As the virus spreads to the brain, patients may experience confusion, hallucinations, difficulty swallowing, and eventually cardiac or respiratory failure.
Can rabies be prevented?
That all sounds very scary – but the good news is that rabies is entirely preventable. However, prevention depends on awareness and timely action.
If you’re travelling to a region where rabies is present, especially if you’re visiting rural areas or with children, you should consider pre-exposure vaccination – a course of rabies vaccines that reduces the urgency of post-bite treatment.
