YEARLY, the Department of Health records at least 200 t0 250 deaths due to bites of rabid animals, and 50 percent of the recorded fatalities were children between five and 14 years old.
The DOH says rabies is not among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in the country but it is regarded as a significant public health problem because it is one of the most acutely fatal infections.
Rabies is highly fatal infectious disease that may affect all species of warm-blooded animals, including humans; usually transmitted from a dog’s saliva following a bite, and enters the body through breaks in the skin. However, it can also be introduced to the body through intact skin via the eyes and mouth.
The DOH, to address this health concern has formed the Rabies Control and Prevention Program, which envisions to free the country from rabies deaths by 2020. Since the inception of the program, the DOH has been cascading the different tools and assistance it could provide to local government units and local health centers nationwide to guarantee the success of its goal to have zero deaths from bites of rabid animals.
There are several ways to protect you and your family from rabies. First is to reduce the risk of exposure. In high-risk areas, avoid wild animals and stray dogs – particularly if they appear in distress or are behaving unusually.Â
In the country, most of those who succumbed to rabid animal bites belong to 5 to 15 years old, that is why many of the information materials of the DOH are rolled out to public elementary schools.
Another means to prevent the spread of rabies is to vaccinate pets and animals, which may be carriers of rabies. By being responsible pet/animal owners, you will contribute a lot in realizing the goal of the DOH.
Lastly, it is better to have Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which is a preventative series of rabies vaccinations. They are usually given to people considered to be at a high risk of exposure. This may be because of their job (e.g. animal control officer, veterinarian) or because they live in, or are traveling to, a rabies endemic area. Here in the Philippines, the DOH prioritizes the PrEP to children because of the records of fatality.
In PrEP, three doses of vaccine are usually given. The first two injections are given one week apart while the third dose must be administered 21 to 28 days after the first vaccination. The schedule of vaccination applies to both children and adults.
If you have completed a PreP and are exposed to rabies you still need post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PrEP, however, reduces the number of doses needed for PEP.
It’s been recorded that PrEP is almost 100 percent safe and effective. The vaccine stimulates the production of antibodies against the rabies virus, and these antibodies will protect you from rabies should you get bitten by a rabid animal.
Like any other vaccines, the PrEP has minor reactions such as swelling of the injection area, itching, a little pain and redness. Some people may also develop rash, fever, nausea and vomiting, which may last for few days but most people recover easily from these minor reactions.