Rabies Shots

jackson5 · Sep 29th, 2009, 22:33

I am going to India in 10 days Delhi / north / Rajasthan / Mumbai.
Our local practise nurse tried to encourage us to have Rabies shots which we declined.
Any real danger or known incidences ?

girlfromvenus · Sep 29th, 2009, 22:48

I think the official rabies statistics for India is about 30 000 cases of rabies in humans/year.

I don't think there is such a big risk unless you are travelling very long in remote areas. In the towns I visited in TN and Kerala I found only very sweet dogs and cats who were mostly in people-ignore-mode.

Plus you can have the rabies shots right after you have been at risk (bitten or similar), which in my opinion would be the better way than injection for something that might never happen.

Nick-H · Sep 29th, 2009, 23:15

It's not quite the same, GfV: the pre-exposure shots slightly lessen the desperate urgency of the post exposure shots, and I think there are then fewer.

Lots of info on the site already, jaackson5 --- please do a search, or even start with the system-generated similar threads at the bottom of the page.

Luci · Oct 2nd, 2009, 03:16

I wouldn't bother unless you are knowingly coming into close contact with animals.

The injection does not necessarily stop rabies and you can still die from it - just gives you a bit of extra time to get medical help from my understanding.

edwardseco · Oct 2nd, 2009, 08:40

Extra time can be a blessing in remote areas and where the vaccine supply is scarce. It also avoids some of the more painful treatment approaches. Having said that I never did that despite being in remote areas. A fellow researcher had the reverse luck. I look at dogs and they cringe. Unfortunately, so do the women.

Keep in mind as my then 5 year old put it to a playmate, don't ask [my dad] about medical things, he isn't a real doctor..

Sep 29th, 2009, 22:33	#1
jackson5 Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: LINCOLN CITY, ENGLAND Posts: 15	Rabies Shots I am going to India in 10 days Delhi / north / Rajasthan / Mumbai. Our local practise nurse tried to encourage us to have Rabies shots which we declined. Any real danger or known incidences ?

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Sep 29th, 2009, 22:48	#2
girlfromvenus Seeker Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Germany Posts: 290	I think the official rabies statistics for India is about 30 000 cases of rabies in humans/year. I don't think there is such a big risk unless you are travelling very long in remote areas. In the towns I visited in TN and Kerala I found only very sweet dogs and cats who were mostly in people-ignore-mode. Plus you can have the rabies shots right after you have been at risk (bitten or similar), which in my opinion would be the better way than injection for something that might never happen.

Sep 29th, 2009, 23:15	#3
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,220	It's not quite the same, GfV: the pre-exposure shots slightly lessen the desperate urgency of the post exposure shots, and I think there are then fewer. Lots of info on the site already, jaackson5 --- please do a search, or even start with the system-generated similar threads at the bottom of the page.

Oct 2nd, 2009, 03:16	#4
Luci Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: England Posts: 18	I wouldn't bother unless you are knowingly coming into close contact with animals. The injection does not necessarily stop rabies and you can still die from it - just gives you a bit of extra time to get medical help from my understanding.

Oct 2nd, 2009, 08:40	#5
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 5,845	Extra time can be a blessing in remote areas and where the vaccine supply is scarce. It also avoids some of the more painful treatment approaches. Having said that I never did that despite being in remote areas. A fellow researcher had the reverse luck. I look at dogs and they cringe. Unfortunately, so do the women. Keep in mind as my then 5 year old put it to a playmate, don't ask [my dad] about medical things, he isn't a real doctor..