Rabies info<\/p>\n
While on a school outing to an art gallery in Kemang, my
\ndaughter was bitten by one of the eight dogs owned by the
\nproprietor. In the course of trying to determine what medical
\nattention must be given to my daughter and what should be done
\nwith the animal, I came to know of the Indonesian regulations
\nwith regards to animal bites to humans, which is, I might add, in
\nline with international regulations and that of the World Health
\nOrganization. This is important information which your readers
\nshould know.<\/p>\n
The facts are as follows:<\/p>\n
1. The fatality rate for victims of rabies virus is 100
\npercent. No one has ever survived the disease.<\/p>\n
2. If bitten by an animal (whether vaccinated or not) the
\nvictim should receive immediate medical attention. Proper
\ntreatment for the wound is as follows:<\/p>\n
* The wound should be scrubbed with soap and water for 15
\nminutes.<\/p>\n
* The wound should be dried and treated with an antiseptic
\nsuch as Betadine.<\/p>\n
* The victim should get a tetanus vaccination.<\/p>\n
* The victim should take a course of antibiotics for a minimum
\nof seven days.<\/p>\n
* Irrespective of the inoculation records of the animal, the
\nvictim should have a series of rabies vaccine injections.<\/p>\n
The victim should never ignore the wound or accept medical
\nadvice to the contrary. Once the symptoms of rabies sickness have
\nreached the point of diagnosis, it is far too late for treatment.
\nAt that point, nothing can be done to save the life of the
\nvictim.<\/p>\n
With regards to the animal, Indonesian law states:<\/p>\n
* Any animal that has bitten a human should at once be
\nreported to the Jakarta administration on 780-5447. They will
\ntake action to pick up the animal in question and place it in
\nisolation for 14 days. The victim, the owner of the animal and
\nany veterinarian who has been informed of the incident, is
\nobligated by law to report the incident.<\/p>\n
* It is vital that the animal be observed not destroyed. The
\nobservation must be carried out because it is the only way to be
\nsure of the status of the animal's health. Rabies does not always
\nshow up in the brain of the animal as is commonly thought. This
\ncan lead to a "negative" diagnosis for the animal. The human then
\ngoes untreated while the animal could have indeed had rabies. The
\nconsequences of such a scenario are fatal.<\/p>\n
The lack of solid understanding, both in the medical community
\nand in the public, of the seriousness of rabies and what to do if
\nbitten by an animal can lead to unnecessary tragedy and grief.
\nAnd in many cases the emotional attachment of the animal's owners
\nand the emotional responses by the victims can lead to a lack of
\nobjectivity and sound judgment.<\/p>\n
With the help of our well informed veterinarian and concerned
\nfriends, we did all of the right things to insure the safety of
\nour daughter. It is my hope that this information proves useful
\nto your readers.<\/p>\n
Name and address<\/p>\n
known to the editor<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rabies-info-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }