Thursday, August 21, 2014

Going abroad? Is Rabies prevalent there?

Rabies disease may not sound daunting, but its effect can be fatal, if left untreated. Caused by the Rhabdovirus family and spread when any infected pet or wild animal scratches another animal or a human.

Individual suffering rabies might face respiratory, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system problem. If this disease is not treatable on time, it leads to respiratory failure.

Rabies is prevalent in countries like India, China, Bangladesh, Peru, Brazil, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Haiti, El Salvador, Vietnam, Mexico, Colombia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Yemen, Ecuador, and Indonesia. Thus, visiting to any areas of these countries might cause risk to your health.

Hence, safeguarding health beforehand is suggested by health specialists, which can be attained if one gets themselves vaccinated, before visiting to any of the epidemic areas.

Procuring rabies vaccine from a travel clinic is the prime option. Though nationwide there are many travel clinics in New York and elsewhere, but to choose one, which is best in providing correct vaccines is most important factor to consider.

Therefore, make sure to visit a health travel medicine clinic which is reputed and do discuss everything like place you visiting, activity in which you would be involved there and need for required vaccines in order to return back home healthy.

Health specialists not just provide vaccines but also explain few emergency first aid measures if an animal a bites, scratches or licks. Following are few of those measures:

Wash the bite immediately under running tap water for at least 15 minutes.

Do not scrub the wound.

Clean the wound with lot of soap or detergent. This helps removed infected animal spit (saliva).

Apply disinfectant like neat alcohol or iodine solution.

Do not apply any bandage on the wound, as it would not stop rather spread further into the body.

Immediately wash your face, if animal spits on your face.

Before disease spread in your body, visit a doctor and get full 3 dose of vaccine.

Do not scratch the wound, as it might increase the risk of rabies virus into body’s nerves.

Many times people are afraid of vaccines side effects. However, there is nothing to worry about. Rabies vaccines provided by health specialists causes no risk to health. Few side effects that might occur after getting vaccination include sore arm, head and muscle aches, and mild fever.