Rabies vaccines are in short supply! Experts tell you whether you must be vaccinated against rabies if you are bitten by an animal!
In the past two days, there have been news reports that the supply of rabies vaccines in some areas is tight, and this situation has indeed existed for some time. Generally, when we are vaccinated against rabies, we must be bitten, licked the wound, or scratched by an animal. Once such a thing happens, the first thing everyone thinks of is to prevent rabies, and they are very scared.
In order to relieve everyone's tension, Dr. Long analyzed several issues today for your reference:
- Do I have to be vaccinated against rabies if bitten?
Not long ago, a patient was bitten by a cat while feeding the cat at home, and asked me what to do?
His cat has been vaccinated against rabies and does not usually go out. Considering the secondary exposure of rabies virus, it is recommended to get rabies vaccine.
After the patient came to the CDC, he was told that there was no rabies vaccine, so he went to other places and finally got two shots of rabies vaccine.
Ten days later, the patient asked me again, because I couldn't find the rabies vaccine, so I only got two injections, and asked if I could not get the next one.
I asked if his cat was still healthy, and he said his cat was normal and not sick.
After ten days, if the cat is normal, it proves that the cat was not infected with rabies virus when it bit the person, so the latter really can not be beaten.
- Rabies vaccine is so scarce, what is the principle of its prevention?
The rabies vaccine is actually made from the protein of the rabies virus. This protein has no ability to infect, but it can stimulate the body to produce the same antibody. The principle of prevention of vaccines for other viral infectious diseases is similar.
After the rabies vaccine is injected, specific antibodies will be produced, which can remove and neutralize the virus that may enter the human body, thereby preventing rabies.
- Why should the rabies vaccine be given after the bite? Can it not be given before the bite?
Can also play.
However, this is not recommended due to cost-effectiveness and adverse effects.
The antibody produced by rabies vaccine lasts for a relatively short time. After the bite, clean the wound in time and inject rabies vaccine, or inject rabies immune globulin when necessary (three-level exposure), which can completely prevent rabies.
- Do all animal bites need to be vaccinated against rabies?
no.
The vast majority of rabies are caused by dog or cat bites, some of which are related to bats, such as being bitten by mice, squirrels, rabbits, etc. It is not recommended to directly inject rabies vaccine.
- Do I only need to be vaccinated against rabies after being bitten by an animal?
After cats and dogs are bitten, the role of rabies vaccination is to prevent rabies, but not to prevent wound infection and tetanus. If it is a deep wound, a tetanus shot is also required.
Wound treatment is an important method to prevent other bacterial infections of the wound, including cleaning (washing with soap and water), disinfection (povidone-iodine or 2% benzalkonium chloride) and bandaging.