Rabies vaccine for travelling abroad

Recently the Travel Health Pro website issued a reminder about rabies. Rabies occurs in warm-blooded mammals and is transmitted to humans, most often by a bite or scratch from an infected animal, usually a dog. Although rabies does not occur in Great Britain, it is present on all continents, except Antarctica, with over 95 percent of human deaths occurring in the Asia and Africa regions.

Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. If you do get bitten abroad then disease is preventable if the correct treatment is provided quickly, but in some locations accessing this treatment can be challenging. Therefore, your pharmacist may recommend prevention, by vaccination. You pharmacist will assess your risk, taking into account factors including, your destination, the duration of your stay, the activities you will be undertaking and the type of accommodation you will be staying in.

Rabies vaccination

If you decide to be vaccinated against rabies, you will need three injections. We can offer a range of schedules to meet your needs. Ideally we would start your vaccines 28 days before you travel, however you can complete an accelerated course of vaccines in as little as a week. Even if you are travelling too imminently to complete an accelerated course of vaccine, having some doses of vaccine is better than none. For more information about the rabies vaccines offered by Evans pharmacy go to https://www.evanspharmacy.com/travel-vaccinations-i67.

Avoid contact with wild or domestic animals

In addition to vaccination, the Travel Health Pro website recommends that you avoid contact with wild or domestic animals during travel.

• Do not to approach animals
• Do not to attempt to pick up an unusually tame animal or one that appears to be unwell
• Do not to attract stray animals by offering food or by being careless with litter
• be aware that certain activities may attract dogs (e.g. running, cycling)

First aid advice if you do get bitten

The following advice is given by the Travel Health Pro website, for action to take following a possible rabies exposure:

• Urgent action is required; treatment should be commenced as soon as possible after the exposure.
• Immediately flush the wound thoroughly under running water for several minutes and wash with detergent or soap.
• Apply a suitable disinfectant to the wound such as 40-70 percent alcohol or tincture/aqueous solution of povidone-iodine
• Apply a simple dressing to the wound.
• Seek immediate medical advice about the need for post exposure treatment and possible antibiotics to prevent a wound infection.
• Suturing of the wound should be postponed until post exposure treatment has started.
• Saliva exposure to the eyes, mouth and nose should be washed thoroughly with water

Tetanus vaccine may be necessary – ideally check that you are up to date with your tetanus boosters before you travel.

To find out more about rabies call into one of our pharmacies or click on the link below. https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/20/rabies