rabies

Leah

my boyfriend and i are very afraid to get rabies while we are in india for 3 months. we were told of all the wild dogs and animals that could contract it we cannot aford the vaccine though...how important is this shot??

hyderabad_ki_sher

Ohh chill out no probs even if u dont get vaccinated

Welcome 2 India

Nick-H

We should not be giving medical advice here, but this one really is on the "optional" list.

Unless you are going to be in a rural place, or working with animals, this is one not to worry about.

Most of the street dogs will wander away looking glad that you didn't kick them. Some will look, hopeful of a biscuit, or at least a kind word. Very rarely will you encounter aggression.

In 18 months here:

one dog has taken a dislike to me, and barked everytimke it saw me go by.

One dog snapped at me (I was glad my shoulder bag was on that side and prottected me!). Reason for this was simple. The dog was between two vehicles, and there was not space for me to back off from it, or it to back off from me.

One dog came barking, another joined it (and this was the only time I was a little afraid). I took the snap decision to hold my ground and face them out (they would have been able to run faster than me...) and they backed off immediately.

Stay away from any pack situation with dogs. This will only really happen in the night.

So, really, very little worry about dogs. Now monkeys: Chennai is not "blessed" with monkeys, so I really don't know.

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Penri

The advice I was given before leaving the UK was that I should be vaccinated if a) I intented to work with animals; or b) I would be travelling to areas which would be more than 24 hours away from a good hospital (if case of being bitten).

I understand that the vaccination only buys you a couple of more days to make that journey.

birds

All information so far is correct.

I work a lot with street dogs and the chance of being bitten is very low if you are just a normal tourist. Even in rural areas I would say the risk is low.

Should you be so unlucky and be bitten you can go to any hospital as most will keep rabies vaccines. The vaccine is cheap in India.

If you want to be extra careful you can take the shots when you arrive just in India. That way you will save money and still be protected (in the sense that you have 12 hours more to reach the hospital).

Keep in mind that monkeys, bats and rats can also carry rabies but again the chance of being bitten is low.

PeakXV

Do you have to be bitten in order to contract it? Or can you get rabies by somehow/someway coming in contact with an infected animals saliva?

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

aadil

I know of a girl from New Zealand who was bitten by a dog in New Delhi recently when on her trip around India for about six months so it was just one time during the whole trip that she had to suffer for a few days after getting the injection (after the bite). No problems otherwise though I would not say every person who comes out here gets bitten by a dog. It was just one of those bad days that happen sometimes out of the blue!!! I am sure it is not so bad nowadays to get bitten by a dog and get rabies too at the same time. Not all dogs are rabid and it's not only dogs which can give you rabies, I think. I doubt it would be a necessary vaccination if you think the cost is too high I am sure the treatment cost will be much less than the cost of the vaccine out there.

Cheers,
Aadil.

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Mangogirl

I thought you had to be bitten to contract it but it's not true. We had a case in Sweden some years ago when we had our first rabies case in 100 years. It was a teenage girl that contracted it in Thailand while she had been playing with some puppies. She didn't get bitten and thats why the doctors realized it too late that she had rabies and she passed away. Its a very sad story and it made me aware that you can contract it just by a dog licking your hand. Scary!
And I used to play with all street dogs in India but after that incident I stopped doing it

edwardseco

The serum does offer powerful advantages if you do get affected. Someone wrote me a persuasive post in that regard recently. However, the odds are small indeed that you need it. Therefore, the cost benefits don't favor it unless you have a tendency to take extreme risks such as petting dogs. Monkeys are a hazard and can be aggressive. A stick or so helps in those areas. Rural areas, trekking, or cycling in such I recommend it (note that as my boy puts it, he isn't that kind of doctor)..

ajay7

It has been caused in cave splunkers in US by inhalation of the virus in bat infested caves!!!
Rabies is caused by a virus , the reservoir of infection are
Dogs, monkeys mostly in Asia and Africa , in the Americas and Europe it's the bats .
It is found in the saliva of the dogs/monkeys so and contact between the saliva and ur serum /blood leads to it.
Best thing to do if you get bitten is use plently of water and soap on the wound , this destroys the virus , also get a serum injection.

Those who can't afford getting Rabies vaccine in Europe /America can get vaccinated in India it's gonna be much cheaper in India about a few grand in Rs.

punchinello

I would have thought the advantage of getting the vaccine is a. that you don't have to be scared of every animal that crosses your path (remembering that you will need to have the immuno globulin regardless of whether the animal that bites you has rabies as once you know you can no longer be treated) and b. that the immuno globulin (according to my doctor) can be hard to find in India. The vaccine simply means that you don't have to have the immuno-globulin, I think.
Please correct me if I'm wrong. My doctor appears to have convinced me it is a wise move to get the shots.

punchinello

Double post.

AnneT

If you have the pre travel shots you will need 3 further shots if you are bitten.

If you have not had the pre travel shots you need rabies immunoglobin asap and 6 shots of vaccine.

The vaccine is easily obtained in India but there are reports that the i'globulin is difficult to find away from major centres.

It's unlikely that you will a) be bitten and b) if you are that the animal will be rabid.

As with most health/travel issues it comes down to a matter of personal choice but it doesn't do any harm to be well informed.

TimMakins

Reading the above posts, you would get the idea that everyone is quite complacent about Rabies, and the chance of attack. Just wanted to say that not everyone thinks like this. I take the threat of rabies very seriously, and always get at least one shot before I go. Having the shots doesn't mean I won't have to go to hospital - it just means I have more time to do it - which I regard as crucial when travelling away from major metro areas.

I am one of these people who are afraid of dogs, and the dogs know it. I get chased ALOT in India by dogs, and have been attacked a few times. I always carry an umbrella, as the best deterrent, having considered a number of alternatives in the past.

As mentioned in a previous post - watch out for monkeys too. They can rush at you in you are carrying food, temple offerings etc, and WILL bite if nervous, cornered, or if babies are isolated from them. Their bite is very nasty, and should be treated immediately. NEVER let children carry ANY visible food when monkeys are about.

Tim in Ireland

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soki

we had a monkey bite incident ( monkeys are moving like in The Matrix...stay away , comparing with them..dogs are quite soft )last year. don't wanna advice u to take or not to take the shot before u go...consider that antirabic vaccination is easy to do in India. Also much more cheaper then other countries : RS330 for one shot of Verorab vaccine, produced by Aventis Pasteur. as far as I know pre immunization is made by 3 shots and post vaccination is made by 5 shots. in case u get bitten you are advised to take some extra busts even u've got the pre immunization already.