Do you have plans to travel to Asia, Africa or parts of Central and South America? If you do, then you might need a vaccination to protect you against rabies.
Rabies is a virus infection. It affects the nerves and brain. If you’re not vaccinated, then it is usually fatal.
People catch rabies from domestic or wild animals. It is very common in dogs and cats, but monkeys and bats can also carry the infection. It is the saliva of an animal which spreads the infection which means it’s not caught just from a bite. A scratch or lick on broken skin or in your eyes, nose or mouth can spread rabies.
Symptoms take some time to appear (between 3 to 12 weeks) so you may be back at home when you begin to feel unwell. Unfortunately, if symptoms appear you are unlikely to recover and that’s why it is important to protect yourself with a vaccination.
If you have been bitten or scratched while you are abroad, you should contact your doctor and arrange to have post-exposure treatment.
If you haven’t been vaccinated, then post-exposure treatment consists of an injection of immunoglobulin at the site of the scratch or bite. Immunoglobulin creates the antibodies that are needed in your body to protect it against the rabies virus.
You will also have four rabies vaccines over a period of 21 days, unless you were vaccinated before you travelled. In this case you will only need to have two vaccines.
This treatment should ensure that you don’t get rabies symptoms. Get help immediately if you have been bitten, licked or scratched.
If you have the treatment abroad, inform your doctor when you get home because you might need further treatment.
The best way to protect yourself is to keep away from animals. Don’t eat or discard food in the street or offer food to stray animals. If you visit a zoo or animal sanctuary don’t pet any of the animals. Some animals don’t show signs that they are carrying the rabies virus.
Rabies from dogs and cats has been eradicated in the UK. But some UK bat species carry a rabies virus called European Bat Lyssaviruses (EBLV). If you are bitten by a bat in the UK, get medical help straightaway.
In the UK the rabies vaccine is Rabipur, and you can read more about it in the patient leaflet.
You need to book your rabies vaccines at least 28 days before you intend to travel. This is because you will be given 3 doses of the injection over a 28-day period. If you have it late then it is possible to have the 3 doses over 21 days. In some cases, the vaccine can be administered over a 7-day period.
After a year, if you are visiting a high-risk location again then you may need a booster injection. Rabies vaccinations normally last between 1 and 2 years. If you work abroad in a high-risk location, or handle bats then it is advisable to have a booster injection every year.
There might be some mild side-effects but should disappear quickly. The may include:
The vaccine does contain egg protein. Let whoever is vaccinating you know if you have an egg allergy.
You can have a rabies vaccination here at the pharmacy. The cost is £72.29 per does and you will need 3 doses. The total cost will be £216.87. The vaccine is suitable for adults and children over the age of 6 months.
You can make an appointment online or give us a call on 01276 21002. You can also pop into the pharmacy and speak to a member of staff.
Now VSM Pharmacy has a travel clinic that offers help, advice and of course travel vaccinations Our latest article gives you all the information you need to get your vaccinations organised before your trip.
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