CARRIER STATE OF RABIES — A genuine problem

Abstract

Rabies is a dreaded and fearsome disease distributed all over the world with almost 100% fatality. In about 100 countries with more than 2.5 billion population, rabies is endemic in wild and domestic animals. Still 50,000 to 60,000 humans die of rabies annually. Rabies mortality ranks about 10 in all infectious diseases and is preventable like other bacterial and viral diseases as potent and effective vaccines are available. Although the transmission of rabies under natural condition is commonly by bite of rabid animals usually carnivorous animals, transmission through aerosols or via corneal transplants from undiagnosed donors has also been reported. The virus is mainly present in the saliva of rabid individual but tears, urine, serum and other body fluid may be infectious as well. It has been further complicated die to the presence of virus in the saliva of the animals before the onset symptoms. Further, apparently healthy dogs without any symptoms can serve as carrier and can transmit the virus for several months. Since, it is difficult to ascertain the degree of risk in every case, all persons exposed must receive correct, prompt and potent postexposure anti-rabies immunoprophylactic agents to prevent the development of the disease as the human life is precious and there is no harm in taking the anti-rabies vaccine even in the case of bite by a nonrabid animal.