According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the Covid-19 pandemic has raised many doubts and misconceptions about diseases, their spread and about vaccination in general. Because of this, there has been some hesitancy about the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccines in many countries and many people are afraid to get vaccinated. For rabies, this is nothing new, as fears, misconceptions and misinformation about the disease and its prevention dates back hundreds of years.
For that reason, this year’s theme is focused on sharing facts about rabies, and not spreading fear about the disease by relying on misinformation and myths.
Facts
Facts are essential for raising disease awareness, preventing rabies cases, having the animal population vaccinated, and educating people about the dangers of rabies and how to prevent it.
Without facts we would not have data for decision-makers to inform them of the serious nature of the disease. We would not be able to advocate for its elimination and the burden of the disease would remain unknown, resulting in tens of thousands of people and animals continuing to die from rabies each year.
Let us use facts to raise awareness and educate others about rabies – a 99% fatal, yet 100% preventable disease.
Fear
The word “fear” has three meanings in this year’s theme.
Firstly, it relates to the general fear caused by rabies, the fear people experience when encountering rabid animals, and the fear that people live with in communities plagued by rabies. The second meaning relates directly to the symptom of fear that people may experience when infected with rabies. Lastly, fear relates to the fear caused by ‘fake news’ or myths about rabies – making people afraid of vaccination, making people afraid to get their animals sterilized or vaccinated, and making people believe in ineffective treatments for the disease.
The prevalence of rabies
Globally, rabies causes 59 000 deaths annually.
In South Africa, the number is far lower, with just eight deaths recorded in the past decade, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases. Having said this, the recent outbreak of rabies in the Eastern Cape and the deaths of three young children (after being bitten by infected dogs) across the country in 2021 are reasons for serious concern.
Post-exposure treatment
According to the Health-e News website, obtaining treatment soon after being bitten is crucial to survival.
“The administration of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis is urgent and must be done as soon as possible after a bite, lick or scratch”, says Tarryn Dent, Business Unit Manager for Companion Animals at Zoetis South Africa. She adds that tragically, most human deaths are the result of untreated bites.
Unfortunately, even though the best post-exposure treatment systems are available, many people do not seek treatment, either because they are not aware of what’s available, or because they are too far away from support.
Rabies is completely preventable
In 2020, a total of seven cases of rabies were confirmed by laboratories in South Africa.
Rabies is a serious viral illness that can affect any warm-blooded animal and it is known as a zoonotic disease meaning that people aren’t immune.
“The heartbreak with rabies is that it’s fatal for humans and animals once symptoms appear and yet it is completely preventable with a vaccine,” explains Dent.
According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, after a bite or exposure to the rabies virus, it travels through the body to the brain before it can cause symptoms. In humans, the first symptoms of rabies are very similar to those of the flu and include general weakness or discomfort, fever, nausea, vomiting, agitation, anxiety, and confusion, followed by rapid progression of nervous signs, sleepiness or agitation and headaches. These symptoms may last for days.
The challenge is that the list of symptoms is a long one, but by the time they appear, treatment is no longer possible. By that stage, rabies is fatal to both humans and animals, and animals need to be quarantined and euthanized.
What to do once bitten
According to KidsHealth, it is important to take the following steps once you or your child has been bitten by an unknown or wild dog or cat:
- Wash the bite area well with soap and water and cover the bite with a clean bandage.
- Call your doctor right away and go to the nearest emergency department. Anyone with a possible rabies infection must be treated in a hospital.
- Call local animal-control authorities to help find the animal. It may need to be caught and watched for signs of rabies.
- If you know the owner of the animal that bit your child, get all the information you can, including its vaccination status and the owner’s name and address. Notify your local health department, especially if the animal wasn’t vaccinated.
Did you know?
- In South Africa, rabies is an endemic disease, and its common carriers include honey badgers, meerkats and mongooses as well as feral and domestic cats and dogs.
- Pets that contract rabies are usually bitten by a wild animal.
- The virus is transmitted through contact in saliva from close contact with an infected animal such as bites, scratches or even licks on broken skin and mucous membranes which can transmit the virus.
- Rabies vaccination of domestic dogs and cats is mandatory by law in South Africa.
- 28 September marks the anniversary of Louis Pasteur’s death, the French chemist and microbiologist, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
