Animals that cause many cases of rabies in humans you should know

Dogs, cats, monkeys, rats, and bats are recorded to cause many cases of rabies in humans in Vietnam and globally .

Dog

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health, dog bites cause 96% of human rabies cases in Southeast Asia. In Vietnam, in the first 7 months of 2024, there were 65 deaths due to rabies, an increase of 50% compared to the same period in 2023. The main reason is that people bitten by dogs have a subjective mentality, thinking that dog bites do not cause disease or do not need vaccination when they have not shown symptoms of rabies.

Cat

According to the Department of Preventive Medicine, cats cause about 3-4% of rabies cases in Vietnam. Cats can transmit rabies to humans through bites, scratches or licks on open wounds. In 2023, surveillance test samples showed that the number of rabies cases caused by cat bites increased many times compared to previous years, accounting for about 10%.

Dog bite wounds have a high risk of rabies infection. (Photo: Vecteezy).

Monkey

Monkeys also carry the rabies virus, which is present in the animal's saliva and can be transmitted to humans through scratches. People traveling in the wild or visiting zoos are at high risk of being scratched or bitten by monkeys when teasing or provoking the animals.

Mouse

Dr. Pham Hong Thuyet, Medical Manager, VNVC Vaccination System, said that these animals rarely cause rabies cases, but the risk of the disease cannot be ruled out. In addition, wounds caused by rat bites can also cause tetanus and rats are a source of plague transmission to humans.

Bat

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90% of rabies cases in the US are transmitted from wild animals, with bats being the main source. About 7 out of 10 Americans who die from rabies get rabies from these animals.

People get rabies vaccination at VNVC. (Photo: VNVC).

Rabies is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus , transmitted mainly through bites or scratches, licks of infected animals. Clinical manifestations in humans include fear of water, fear of wind, convulsions, paralysis and death.

Dr. Thuyet said there is no specific treatment for rabies. Vaccines and serums are the only available ways to prevent the disease.

To eliminate the risk of rabies after being attacked by animals, people need to clean the wound properly by following these steps: rinse the wound under clean running water and soap for 15 minutes, then wash it again with 45-70 degree alcohol or iodine alcohol; use shampoos and shower gels to wash the wound if soap is not available. Then, go to vaccination centers for advice on vaccination as soon as possible.

People who are vaccinated against rabies for the first time, the regimen is 5 shots, with two additional shots after each subsequent injury. Rabies vaccine can be given as a preventive injection before the wound appears, the regimen is 3 shots, no serum is needed; two additional shots are given each time an animal scratches or bites.