Rabies is a fatal viral infection that is spread via a scratch or bite from an infected animal. Those travelers who have not had the rabies vaccine and are visiting endemic areas are at risk of contracting this serious disease. There is currently no treatment for rabies, but it can be prevented through vaccination. Those visiting resorts and tourist destinations are usually at low risk of infection.

Early symptoms of rabies are usually similar to the flu, including fever headaches and weakness. There may also be pain at the area of the bite and as the disease progresses symptoms of anxiety, confusion and agitation amongst others may occur. With further disease progression, the person may experience delirium, abnormal behaviour, hallucinations, and insomnia.

Once the clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal. So vaccination is crucial as exposure to infected saliva can occur most unexpectedly.

It doesn’t take much as the infected mammals can spread the rabies virus through bites, scratches, or even a lick on to broken skin. Thus travellers are advised to avoid contact with animals in infected areas. All mammals are susceptible to the virus including skunks, jackals, mongooses, foxes, raccoons, dogs, cats, monkeys and bats.

The rabies virus can be found world-wide, most of the planet is high risk. The low risk areas include mainland Europe and the UK, Australia, North America and Japan;

The vaccine is given as a course of 3 injections usually over a period of 21-28 days. This 3 dose course usually confers protection for some 2-3 years. Those travellers who have received the pre-exposure vaccine who have subsequently been bitten will still need to seek medical advice (for post exposure prophylaxis) and attend to their wound in a safe way.