Overview of rabies with actual figures in Vietnam

In recent years rabies seems to be rising in Vietnam, especially in Phu Yen area with the announcement of Phu Yen preventive health center, in the quarter 1/2018 the number of bitten people must go to the establishments Health for rabies vaccination is 1639 people, up more than 42% over the same period last year. In 2017, 5250 people who were bitten by cats and dogs, had to be vaccinated against rabies vaccines and 2 deaths due to subjective vaccination, when the disease did not cure.

Let's try to see what rabies is and what its effects are, along with the official recommendation from the Preventive Medicine Department, Ministry of Health on measures to prevent rabies.

First, there are a few numbers summarized from CDC about rabies in Vietnam. In the last 10 years, Vietnam has reported a total of 914 human deaths, an average of 91 deaths per year. Vietnam is similar to many other countries in Asia that often have low rates of vaccination, dogs who are often free to snout, which leads to a high likelihood of dog bites and cost of use. for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). According to the CDC's calculations, only $ 1.32 is needed to vaccinate a dog, while the cost of a PEP course is $ 153 - nearly 116 times. Studies show that vaccination of 7 out of 10 dogs in dog populations is able to adequately protect the community.

Rabies is a disease caused by a virus that spreads from animals to humans. There are two clinical diseases of rabies that are crazy and mute (polio), in which the frenzy is the most common.

Wild virus.

Ways of infection of rabies virus

The rabies virus enters the nervous system of mammals. The rabies virus is mainly transmitted from the saliva of rabid animals to humans through bites or scratches on the human body. Rabies can also be transmitted to humans when rabid animals lick their wounds or touch exposed areas of the skin, or the lining of the mouth and nose of the person.

96% of cases of rabies in humans in Southeast Asia are caused by dogs, however there are some reports of rabies in humans due to the bite of cats, civets, jackals, foxes and wolves. Other types of predators. Rabies caused by monkeys and rats is rare. Horses and donkeys often become aggressive and bite when they get rabies. Buffaloes and cows do not bite when they are infected with rabies, but it is also necessary to watch out for sick cattle and symptoms of mouth saliva.

Occasionally, livestock owners confuse rabies with foot and mouth disease, blood infections with congestion or difficulty breathing and they may be infected with rabies virus when subjective and caring, giving pets the medicine to take hand.

No evidence-based reports of human rabies occur due to milk use. Professional slaughterers may be at risk of being infected by killing rabid animals and handling other parts of the brain or other infected parts, but there are no cases of human infection caused by eating cooked meat. nine.

Transmission of rabies from person to person through corneal transplants or other organs is relatively rare but can still occur. This transmission has occurred in transplant recipients and has recently occurred in some cases of recipients of solid organs and vascular tissue. Therefore, the cornea or human organs cannot be transmitted from patients who die from encephalitis or any other neurological disease that has not been clearly diagnosed.

Although rabies patients rarely bite others, caregivers should also be cautious and vigilant when caring for rabies patients, especially avoiding contact with saliva of rabies patients. .

If a person is bitten by an animal, the following should be done:

1. The wound should be washed immediately with soap and under running water continuously for about 10-15 minutes. If soap is not available, the wound can be washed immediately with clean water under continuous running water for 15 minutes. This is the most effective first aid method to combat rabies.
2. The wound should be thoroughly rinsed with 70% alcohol or tincture of iodine, if available.
3. Immediately bring the patient to a medical facility for treatment as soon as possible.

Vaccination against post-exposure rabies (PEP) is required if you are bitten by a dog, cat or other animal that is suspected of being bitten or suspected of being rabid. PEP should be applied under the following conditions:

1. If the bite causes skin scratches and bleeding injuries.
2. If the mucous membranes are in contact with the saliva of a rabid animal.
3. If the animal has bitten people:

+ Death.
+ Disappear in the tracking time.
+ There are abnormal and erratic behavior.
+ If the test results of brain material of rabid or rabid animals give positive results.

Preventive Medicine Department, Ministry of Health recommends that people should well implement the following measures:

1. 100% of dogs and cats must be vaccinated and repeated every year as recommended by the veterinary industry.
2. Breeding dogs must be chained, locked up, when going out to the road must bring muzzle.
3. Do not play, tease pets.
4. When bitten by a dog or cat, wash the wound under running water immediately with soap for 15 minutes. If soap is not available, wash the wound directly with normal water. Limit the wounding, not cover the wound.
5. Go to the nearest medical center for prompt advice and vaccination.
6. Absolutely not self-treat or ask healers to examine and cure rabies.

WHO also has a propaganda poster on rabies, which you can look at below: