Key facts
•Rabies is a vaccine-preventable viral disease which occurs
in more than 150 countries and territories.
•Dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths,
contributing up to 99% of all rabies transmissions to humans.
•Rabies elimination is feasible through vaccination of dogs
and prevention of dog bites.
•Infection causes tens of thousands of deaths every year,
mainly in Asia and Africa.
•40% of people bitten by suspect rabid animals are children
under 15 years of age.
•Immediate, thorough wound washing with soap and water after
contact with a suspect rabid animal is crucial and can save lives.
WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global
Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC)
have established a global “United Against Rabies”
collaboration to provide a common strategy to achieve "Zero human rabies
deaths by 2030".Rabies is an infectious viral disease that is almost
always fatal following the onset of clinical symptoms. In up to 99% of cases,
domestic dogs are responsible for rabies virus
transmission to humans. Yet, rabies can affect both domestic
and wild animals. It is spread to people through bites or scratches, usually
via saliva.
Rabies is present on all continents, except Antarctica, with
over 95% of human deaths occurring in the Asia and Africa regions.
SYMPTOMS
Recognizing the Symptoms
of Rabies
The period between the bite and the onset of symptoms is
called the incubation period. It usually takes four to 12 weeks for a person to
develop rabies symptoms once they’re infected. However, incubation periods can
also range from a few days to six years.
The initial onset of rabies begins with flu-like symptoms,
including:
• fever
• muscle weakness
• tingling
You may also feel burning at the bite site.
Prevention
Eliminating rabies in dogs
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable disease. Vaccinating dogs is
the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people.
Dog vaccination reduces deaths attributable to rabies and
the need for PEP as a part of dog bite patient care.
Awareness on rabies and preventing dog bites
Education on dog behaviour and bite prevention for both
children and adults is an essential extension of a rabies vaccination programme
and can decrease both the incidence of human rabies and the financial burden of
treating dog bites.
Increasing awareness of rabies prevention and control in
communities includes education and information on responsible pet ownership,
how to prevent dog bites, and
immediate care measures after a bite. Engagement and
ownership of the programme at the community level increases
reach and uptake of key messages. This is what the Kennel
Club of Rivers has been doing. Www.fb.com/kennelclubofrivers (go like that
page,it's very essential for every dog lover.
Preventive immunization in people
Human rabies vaccines exist for pre-exposure immunization.
These are recommended for people in certain high-risk occupations such as
laboratory workers handling live rabies
and rabies-related (lyssavirus) viruses; and people (such as
animal disease control staff and wildlife rangers) whose professional or
personal activities might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores,
or other mammals that may be infected.
Pre-exposure immunization is also recommended for travellers
to rabies-affected, remote areas who plan to spend a lot of time outdoors
involved in activities such as caving or mountain-climbing. Expatriates and
long-term travellers to areas with a high rabies exposure risk should be
immunized if
local access to rabies biologics is limited. Finally,
immunization should also be considered for children living in, or visiting,
remote, high-risk areas. As they play with animals, they may
receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.
Also;
• Vaccinate your pets.
• Keep your pets from roaming outside.
• Report stray animals to animal control.
• Avoid contact with wild animals.
• Prevent bats from entering living spaces or other
structures near your home.
You should report any signs of an infected animal to your
local animal control or health departments.
Source:
http://www.nairaland.com/4083771/yesterday-world-rabies-day-all
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