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.

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