World Rabies Day Travel Insurance |
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Why is Rabies Important?
- Rabies is entirely preventable through vaccination
- Rabies kills at least 55,000 people annually, or one person every 10 minutes
- Rabies remains the tenth most common cause of death by infection in humans.
- The disease is 100% fatal if untreated, but 100% preventable if treated early enough with the right drugs
What causes rabies?
Rabies is caused by the infected bite of a mammal, often a dog, although infection does often occur from bat and primate species.
Who is affected?
Most cases occur in Africa and Asia, although rare outbreaks do occur in European countries. The first person to die from rabies caught in the UK since 1907 was a Scottish bat enthusiast who caught it in 2002.
How can rabies be prevented?
To reduce the risk of infection travellers are advised to avoid stray animals when in at-risk areas. A rabies vaccine is available and is advised for people travelling to high-risk areas or whose occupation involves handling the rabies virus or infected animals
What is the treatment?
Treatment involves the injection of antibodies to fight the virus, followed by a rabies vaccination to stimulate the production of antibodies.
For effective treatment of a rabid bite the treatment should be given as promptly as possible after the bite. Once symptoms are shown rabies is almost always fatal.
Published with he kind permission of The Travel Clinic Ltd www.travelcliniccambridge.co.uk
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