Don't be subjective with rabies!

YenBai - In recent years, the number of patients dying from rabies, caused by dog and cat bites, has been increasing nationwide. To better understand rabies and how to prevent it, Yen Bai Newspaper reporters had an interview with Master, Doctor Nguyen Trong Phu - Deputy Director of Yen Bai Province Center for Disease Control on this issue.

PV: Doctor, could you tell us about the current rabies situation in Yen Bai province?

Doctor Nguyen Trong Phu: Rabies has been endemic in Yen Bai province for many years, and every year there are still cases of patients dying from rabies. In the past 5 years (2018 - 2022), the whole province has had 5,996 cases of rabies exposure vaccinated, 5 deaths from rabies (an average of 1 death/year) due to dog bites and not receiving preventive treatment with vaccines and anti-rabies serum.

In 2023, in mid-June, there was 1 death due to rabies recorded in Yen Thanh village, Yen Hop commune, Van Yen district. The patient was bitten by a dog but was subjective, did not clean the wound and did not get vaccinated. It is predicted that in 2023, there will continue to be deaths due to rabies if exposed cases are not vaccinated with rabies vaccine and serum on schedule and in sufficient doses.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Trong Phu - Deputy Director of the Provincial Center for Disease Control.

PV: Can you tell us more about rabies and how dangerous this disease is?

Doctor Nguyen Trong Phu: Rabies is an acute encephalomyelitis caused by the rabies virus transmitted from animals to humans. People get rabies from being bitten by dogs or cats with rabies, which transmit the virus through damaged skin and mucous membranes. The disease often increases during the hot season, from May to August every year, occurring in all ages and most deaths are due to not being vaccinated. In Yen Bai, rabies is prevalent in most districts, towns and cities with dogs as the main source of transmission.

Rabies is particularly dangerous because once a rabies attack occurs, there is no cure and most people who die from rabies do not get vaccinated. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), people bitten by dogs or cats suspected of being rabid need to be vaccinated against rabies. Therefore, we need to be especially vigilant about the risk of rabies transmission from dogs and cats to humans.

PV: Doctor, many people still believe that rabies vaccination will affect their health. How do you explain this?

Doctor Nguyen Trong Phu: Rabies vaccination does not harm health because rabies vaccine is produced and developed from dead rabies virus and it is completely incapable of causing rabies, memory loss or neurological problems as rumored.

However, just like the mechanism of action of any medicine and vaccine, when the vaccine is injected into the body, there is a possibility of mild reactions. This is not a cause for concern, these are signs that the body is responding to the stimulation of the vaccine, creating antibodies against the activity of the rabies virus.

Because of the psychological anxiety of not knowing whether rabies vaccination is harmful or not, many people are hesitant and do not get vaccinated. Like any other medicine and vaccine, rabies vaccine can cause post-injection reactions and serious reactions from rabies vaccine are very rare. Some common reactions after rabies vaccination are: pain, swelling or itching at the injection site, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle pain, dizziness, hives, joint pain, fever.

Free-roaming dogs pose a risk of rabies transmission in the community.

PV: Doctor, what should we do when bitten by a dog or cat and what measures should we take to prevent rabies?

Doctor Nguyen Trong Phu: When bitten by a dog, whether the dog has rabies or not, the first thing to do is to wash the wound. But it must be washed properly. That means, we do not touch the wound with our hands, we just wash the wound, put soap on the wound and rinse it clean, then the rabies virus will be washed away and the sooner this is done, the better. After that, we must immediately go to the nearest medical facility or rabies vaccination site to be examined, consulted and vaccinated against rabies in a timely manner for each case. Only vaccination and anti-rabies serum can prevent rabies.

In addition, to prevent rabies from spreading to humans, if you raise dogs or cats, you need to fully vaccinate them and get annual booster shots according to veterinary recommendations. Do not let dogs or cats roam free; dogs on the street must wear muzzles; do not play with or tease dogs or cats. When you discover a dog or cat with rabies or suspected rabies, absolutely do not contact them to limit the spread of the rabies virus to humans and immediately report to the authorities, health care, and veterinary services of the commune/ward to take immediate action to treat the rabid animal and the animals living there.

In short, rabies can be actively prevented. Therefore, each of us needs to raise awareness, not be subjective or negligent, but must implement good rabies prevention measures, join hands with the community to build a healthy and happy life.

PV: Thank you doctor!

Bui Minh (performed)

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