BE RABIES AWARE
World Rabies Day: 28th September 2018

World Rabies Day is here! Celebrated annually in September, World Rabies Day raises awareness about rabies prevention and highlights the progress being made to defeat this awful disease. Read on to learn more about the disease, and how you can help protect yourself from rabies when travelling.

Rabies: Share the message. Save a life.
#BeRabiesAware

What is rabies?

• Rabies is a serious viral disease that is passed to humans through a bite, lick or scratch from an infected animal, usually a dog¹
• Once symptoms develop, rabies is almost always fatal. It is estimated that worldwide, rabies causes one death every nine minutes^1,2

For more information on rabies, including symptoms, click here.

Am I at risk of getting rabies while travelling?

• Rabies exists across the globe (except on Antarctica), although the risk of getting rabies is highest in places where the virus is present in dogs, such as countries in Africa and Asia¹
• Cases of rabies are generally rare in travellers, but animal bites and scratches are not¹
• Travellers should be aware of the risks and know what to do if they are bitten or scratched¹

Every year, approximately 2000 people in England require treatment for a potential rabies exposure. The majority of these cases are for travellers that were exposed to an animal overseas.³
However, more than 10% of these cases result from potential bat exposure in the UK.³ It is also important to seek medical advice if you are bitten by, or have close contact with, a bat in the UK.

How can I help protect myself from getting rabies?

What to do before you travel

Consider getting vaccinated against rabies, particularly if:⁴

• Medical treatment may be in short supply where you’re going
• You’ll be doing activities such as cycling or running
• You’re staying for more than one month

Speak to your doctor or nurse before you travel – they’ll be able to advise you on whether you should get vaccinated before you go.

Actions to take while you are travelling

• Be careful around animals (wild and domesticated) – minimise your risk of being bitten or scratched
• If you are bitten, seek immediate medical advice. Effective post-exposure treatment is available, if given rapidly after the potential exposure³

You should also immediately wash any wounds with soap and water for several minutes, and apply a disinfectant and dressing to the wound¹

Which animals can carry rabies?

• All warm-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats, monkeys, bats and other wildlife can develop rabies³
• It’s crucial that travellers are aware of potential rabies risks from animals so that they can avoid putting themselves in harm’s way³
• It’s recommended to avoid touching or feeding animals when travelling, as this will help to reduce the risk of being bitten, scratched, or licked by an animal carrying rabies³

The map below shows some of the animals that can pass rabies on to humans.

The World Health Organization is dedicated to eliminating human rabies transmitted by dogs by 2030 – help achieve this goal – #BeRabiesAware

For more information on the World Health Organization’s efforts against rabies, click here.

Watch our short educational animation on rabies by clicking on the video below.

References

1. Travel Health Pro. Rabies. Available at:

   https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheet/20/rabies. Accessed September 2018.

2. CDC. Every 9 minutes, someone in the word dies of rabies. Available at:

   https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2015/p0928-rabies.html. Accessed September 2018.

3. Public Health England. Vaccine Update: issue 282, September 2018, rabies special edition.

   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaccine-update-issue-282-august-2018-rabies-special-edition. Accessed September 2018.

4. Public Health England. Rabies: the green book, chapter 27. Available at:

   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rabies-the-green-book-chapter-27. Accessed September 2018.

Date of preparation: September 2018 | SAGB.RABIE.18.08.1321