Rabies is a deadly disease caused by a virus that is spread in the saliva of infected animals. All mammals can get rabies.
People usually get rabies from licks, bites, or scratches from infected dogs and other animals such as bats, foxes, raccoons, and mongooses.
Rabies affects the central nervous system, ultimately causing brain disease and death. Once symptoms of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, so prevention is especially important.
Virtually all infections with rabies resulted in death until two French scientists and developed the first rabies vaccination in 1885. This vaccine was first used on a human on July 6, 1885, on nine-year-old, who had been mauled by a rabid dog. Their vaccine consisted of a sample of the virus harvested from infected (and necessarily dead) rabbits that was weakened by allowing it to dry for 5 to 10 days.
Similar nerve tissue-derived vaccines are still used now in some countries, and while they are much cheaper than modern cell culture vaccines, they are not as effective. Neural tissue vaccines also carry a certain risk of neurological complications.
Skunks, raccoons, dogs, cats, coyotes, foxes and other mammals can also transmit the disease. Human rabies is rare in the United States. There have been only 55 cases diagnosed since 1990. However, between 16,000 and 39,000 people are vaccinated each year as a precaution after animal bites. Also, rabies is far more common in other parts of the world, with about 40,000–70,000 rabies-related deaths worldwide each year. Bites from unvaccinated dogs cause most of these cases.
After the brief explanation, rabies seems very dangerous isn’t it? In fact, rabies is can become deadly for people if you don’t know or not take any prevention against it. Now, I would like to talk about who will be at the risk to get the rabies during travel.
Now obviously, travelers who may come into contact with wild or domestic animals are at risk for rabies. This includes travelers spending a lot of time outdoors (such as campers and cavers), travelers with occupational risks (such as veterinarians and wildlife professionals), and long-term travelers and expatriates. Children are also at higher risk because they often play with animals, might not report bites, and are more likely to be bitten on the head and neck.
Traveling sounds really amazing for those who are in need of new adventure in life. Especially the person who like to take risk by becoming a backpacker traveler because you got to know the country better by get lost and socialize by the local people. Although it seems so fun, remember there is always a risk that you will got bitten by the animal on the street or you just suddenly eat meat which contain dog meat or another meat which contain rabies virus in case of your curiosity. It is better to find a shot before you go travel or as soon as you are arrived in your destination especially when you have a plan to exploring South East Asia.
Dr Richard Dawood, Telegraph Travel’s health expert, says it is not always possible to eliminate the chance of an unwanted encounter with a street dog. “Having been attacked by a dog on my own travels, I have been a lifelong fan of pre-travel rabies vaccination: it is safe, effective, greatly simplifies treatment following a bite, and can be done cheaply,” he said. “Vaccination requires three injections, ideally with a seven-day gap between the first two, and 14 to 21 days between the next. Protection is usually long-lasting.
Most people have a full dose of vaccine, injected deep into a muscle. However, a reduced dose is also highly effective, given ‘intra dermally’ into the top layer of the skin, enabling more than one person to be vaccinated from a single vial. “However, it is approved by the World Health Organization, used in other countries, more widely.
We all know that of the thing that we consider the most when we are going travel is budgeting issue. Especially when you are going in to backpacker travelling which you will really make sure that the rabies vaccine fit with your budget. After reading the information above, now I would like to give you 6 ways to get the right jabs (rabies vaccine) at the right price.
- Plan well ahead
See your doctor or inquire at a clinic at least two months before your holiday. Some jabs need to be done a minimum of six weeks before you travel, and some vaccines (such as rabies) need up to three visits. If your vaccinations aren’t up to date, don’t be tempted by a last-minute long-haul holiday for which immunization is recommended – you may not have enough time to allow the vaccines to work effectively. Or if you need a jabs when you are already abroad, contract your personal doctor to give you advice how you should get the rabies vaccine.
- Get the right advice
The Scottish NHS travel information site (fitfortravel.nhs.uk) is particularly useful. It gives information on recommended vaccinations for specific countries (click on the map to reach those included in your travel plans). It also has up-to-date links to malaria maps and news about current or recent outbreaks of malaria, dengue fever and other dangerous diseases.
The website run by the National Travel Health Network and Centre (nathnac.org), funded by the Health Protection Agency, also gives detailed destination-based advice and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (thehtd.org) website links to this. For an individual assessment, Masta (masta-travel-health.com) offers a free travel health brief specific to a destination. Some GPs run formal travel clinics or employ travel nurses responsible for keeping up to date with the latest advice. For advice on vaccinations (and travel generally) for those with diabetes, see diabetestravel.org or you can try to type on google Hydro Medical Bali for rabies.
- Give all the details
When seeking advice, specify the type of trip you are doing and give the itinerary in full. If you are visiting a city for a few days, you are likely to be at far less risk than someone travelling to more remote, rural areas where medical facilities are scarce and health hazards greater. In Thailand, for example, the risk of contracting malaria in Bangkok will be much lower than in the rural, forested borders with Cambodia, Laos and Burma. Another example, In Bali you can find where is the red zone which means you should pay attention more for rabies than non red zone area.
- Shop around
When you know what vaccinations you require, compare prices charged by your GP and private clinics such as when you are in Bali try to go to Hydro Medical Bali. Why you need Rabies vaccination at Hydro Medical? Why is it to be specific in Hydro Medical? First and the most important thing is it administered by registered & qualified health professionals so you don’t need to faced unnecessary risk. Rabies is 100% preventable with vaccine, so it is perfect term for you to get the vaccine as soon as you got bitten by the animal.
All of the treatment in Hydro medical Bali is cashless because all the treatments can fully cover by your insurance. You got bitten by the animal at 2 am in the morning? No need to worry because Hydro Medical Bali has 24hour ready rapid response. Remember that any bite by invaccinated random animal can cause rabies so it is better to look over the treatment as soon as possible.
- Remain cautious
Don’t assume you are immune from contracting a disease even if you have been vaccinated. You still need to be careful and take precautions to prevent illness from food, water, insects and animals. This is particularly true for malaria, where the only sure protection is to avoid being bitten by mosquitos – insect repellent and mosquito nets are crucial ways of reducing risk.
- Travel with a medical kit
Lots of medical kits are available at chemists, or you could put one together yourself. Sterile needles and dressings are particularly important. Travel with medical kit will help you to preventing the unnecessary risk when you are travel. You can also include the medicine that you usually consume daily or in case of emergency. Sometime we can’t make sure how us with the medical treatment.
We will always tell people to get the vaccinations they think they need, to prevent everything that might be happen during the travel time, we would like to tell you to do what you think is necessary based on your own research because the worry just isn’t worth it. We will also say that when you get on the ground, once you arrive in your destination and find yourself surrounded by healthy people a lot of fear will evaporate.
Whatever you choose, it’s your call. Prepare for the worst thing that will happen in your travel day will give you safe and comfortable feeling during the time. Because in the end, we want to make a memorable experience during our travel.