Rabies info

Rabies info

While on a school outing to an art gallery in Kemang, my
daughter was bitten by one of the eight dogs owned by the
proprietor. In the course of trying to determine what medical
attention must be given to my daughter and what should be done
with the animal, I came to know of the Indonesian regulations
with regards to animal bites to humans, which is, I might add, in
line with international regulations and that of the World Health
Organization. This is important information which your readers
should know.

The facts are as follows:

1. The fatality rate for victims of rabies virus is 100
percent. No one has ever survived the disease.

2. If bitten by an animal (whether vaccinated or not) the
victim should receive immediate medical attention. Proper
treatment for the wound is as follows:

* The wound should be scrubbed with soap and water for 15
minutes.

* The wound should be dried and treated with an antiseptic
such as Betadine.

* The victim should get a tetanus vaccination.

* The victim should take a course of antibiotics for a minimum
of seven days.

* Irrespective of the inoculation records of the animal, the
victim should have a series of rabies vaccine injections.

The victim should never ignore the wound or accept medical
advice to the contrary. Once the symptoms of rabies sickness have
reached the point of diagnosis, it is far too late for treatment.
At that point, nothing can be done to save the life of the
victim.

With regards to the animal, Indonesian law states:

* Any animal that has bitten a human should at once be
reported to the Jakarta administration on 780-5447. They will
take action to pick up the animal in question and place it in
isolation for 14 days. The victim, the owner of the animal and
any veterinarian who has been informed of the incident, is
obligated by law to report the incident.

* It is vital that the animal be observed not destroyed. The
observation must be carried out because it is the only way to be
sure of the status of the animal's health. Rabies does not always
show up in the brain of the animal as is commonly thought. This
can lead to a "negative" diagnosis for the animal. The human then
goes untreated while the animal could have indeed had rabies. The
consequences of such a scenario are fatal.

The lack of solid understanding, both in the medical community
and in the public, of the seriousness of rabies and what to do if
bitten by an animal can lead to unnecessary tragedy and grief.
And in many cases the emotional attachment of the animal's owners
and the emotional responses by the victims can lead to a lack of
objectivity and sound judgment.

With the help of our well informed veterinarian and concerned
friends, we did all of the right things to insure the safety of
our daughter. It is my hope that this information proves useful
to your readers.

Name and address

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