Rabies:
Animal Bite Management and Potential Rabies
Exposures in Humans
One of the most effective ways to prevent rabies infection is immediate
thorough cleansing of the animal bite or scratch wounds with liberal
amounts of soap and water for 10-15 minutes. If circumstances of the
exposure warrant it, a physician will administer preventive medications
(called post-exposure prophylaxis) to the bite victim. This preventive
treatment consists of an injection of rabies immune globulin
immediately, and five doses of the rabies vaccine given over the course
of 28 days. The vaccine is injected in the arm, similar to a tetanus
shot. Details on the preventive post-exposure regimen can be found at:
http://hanplus.wisc.edu/DISEASES/rabies/rpepregimen.htm
(exit DHS)
In most instances, however, observation or testing of
the biting animal will rule out the possibility of rabies and will
therefore eliminate any need for the bite victim to undergo the series
of injections. Because of this, it is important for bite victims
to notify their local health department (or local law enforcement when
public health staff are unavailable) whenever a bite occurs to ensure
that the biting animal is appropriately and legally observed or tested
for rabies. It is also vital not to release or destroy a biting animal
until a public health official or an animal control officer is
consulted. The victim's physician should also be notified
promptly.
Exposures to bats are worrisome because some people with
very minor exposures to bats have contracted rabies. If there has been
any possibility of physical contact with a bat, even without a know
bite, the animal should be safely captured and held until a public
health official or a physician can be consulted.
An
electronic algorithm on animal bite management from the perspective of
rabies prevention is available for use by clinicians and public health
staff.
It can be found at
http://hanplus.wisc.edu./DISEASES/rabies/introduction.htm
(exit DHS)
Rabies Home | Reducing
Your Risk | Rabies in Wisconsin
Animal
Bites | Diagnostic Testing |
Resources | Fact
Sheet
Last Revised: November 04, 2008
|
