You Monkey to feed, pet, or you can sit on your shoulder For long-distance travelers, for example, in South East Asia, the animals are a popular photo motif. But dealing with monkeys, but also other wild animals is risky. You can rabies through bites, Scratching, or Licking of broken skin-pathogen is transmitted. Besides Asia, India, and Africa as rabies-count-high castles. According to the world health organization, WHO, about 21,500 people die alone on the African continent each year from the disease. Rabies is transmitted mainly by dogs.
But also cats can carry deadly pathogens, such as the case of a British tourist shows. The man had made holiday in Morocco and had been from a cat bite. According to “Public Health England” ill be the man on rabies and died. That had the vacationers after the bite vaccination, but apparently not fast enough. The virus had already spread in his body.
In the case of suspicion of rabies, immediately to the doctor – this is also true for Vaccinated
Health experts therefore recommend to avoid contact with animals in rabies areas or vulnerable countries (information about the spread of rabies here). You are in a risk area and is bitten by an animal, scratched or licked over injured skin, it is important to clean the wound immediately with soap and water. “For at least 15 minutes,” recommends the Doctor Silja Bühler from the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute in Hamburg. Also, you are advised to disinfect the wound.
In connection, it is important to immediately see a doctor or a clinic visit. This applies in particular for unvaccinated people, but also for those before the trip against rabies have been vaccinated. A vaccination before travelling in areas at risk is not meaningful, sufficient as the sole protection against the disease. Even in the existing primary vaccination must be revaccinated, therefore, ideally immediately or within a few hours. Doctors then speak of a post-exposure immune prophylaxis, and short PEP.
After a suspect animal contact passive and active vaccines are available. The passive vaccine contains protective immunoglobulins, the active vaccine, killed virus. The protective effect has been carried out professionally, prompt PEP after contact with the Animals in healthy people, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in the case of “almost 100 percent”.
Rabies is almost always fatal
In rural and remote areas, the vaccines are sometimes hard to come by. Travellers should inform themselves already before their departure, in which clinics have the necessary vaccines available. Information about the vaccinations or at the tropical medical institutions.
Was made in spite of suspicious animal contact is not a PEP, for example, due to ignorance, it should be “at the earliest possible date be rescheduled,” writes the RKI. “Even weeks after the exposure”. The incubation period could be up to several weeks or even months.
Germany is officially free of rabies
Rabies virus attacks the nervous system and lead to paralysis or convulsions. Sufferers may initially suffer from headaches and loss of appetite. The bite site burns, or itches. Ill have a significant fear of the Drink, are restless and suffer from swallowing disorders. “Between the appearance of the first symptoms and death only a few days are usually” writes the RKI. A disease is almost always fatal.
Since the year 2008 Germany free officially as rabies. However, some in Germany, native species of bat can carry rabies virus. In accordance with the nature protection Federation (Nabu) are affected only some of the 25 native species, especially the serotine bat, but also noctule, Brown long-eared and pipistrelle. The danger to infect a human with rabies is a bat, but it is very low. “As long as you do not touch the animals, not to attack rabid bats people.”
