Rabies vaccination?
 

Hi guys

I just wondered how many people went with a rabies vaccine? Mine has expired, so I need to go the whole 3 jabs again :(

Given it doesn't *stop* you having to rush off to the nearest hospital, do you a/ always keep it up to date (like you wouldn't step out the door without it!) or b/ not really worry (like when was the last time you got bitten by anything!)

I'm not taking anyone's opinions as gospel - I just wondered if we over-react in the UK (since one guy getting rabies is top headline news here...)

Ysa

Ysa: typically for a safari it is rabies vaccination is unneeded. It's recommended for those who will live in country for a while or spend a lot of time in towns and villages where dogs run free. Good idea to avoid putting your hand out to pet dogs in such areas just in case. So it depends on your travel but if you are doing semi-luxury safari and up its probably not necessary. Non-doctor opinion so take it for what's its worth but that is what my travel clinic personnel has advised me.

Apparently, the rabies vaccine doesn't prevent you from getting rabies, it just buys you a little more time before you would need to get emergency treatment. That being said, your travel doc can help you balance out the pros and cons. It depends on where you are going (how prevalent is rabies there, and how remote is it from emergency medical care?) and what you are doing (will you be in a vehicle, or on a walking tour?).

In my case, my travel doc actually read thru my itinerary to evaluate this, and said I did not need a rabies vaccine for my safari, BUT when she saw that I was visiting a chimp sanctuary she warned me not to try to pet the chimps (not knowing if it would even be an option or not), since they can carry rabies.

Pretty much what I thought then. I wondered if you didn't hear much about it because everyone outside the UK had it as a matter of course, but it looks like that's not the case.

You are right ann - it doesn't stop you needing treatment if you are bitten, but it does make the treatment simpler. On the down side, it's expensive and a nuisance (needing 3 jabs over a month - which is annoying to fit in around other travel).

And I think any mammal can carry rabies (so chimps, dogs, bats and small children are included on my 'don't handle' list :P)

Having said that - I'll probably wind up getting it due to the 'in-law' factor. It makes them feel much more comfortable about me hauling DH off to exotic places if I can assure them we are jabbed against every known disease on the planet! Sadly, I've never found out how to reassure them that we won't be eaten by tigers while on safari...

... for tigers you'll have to go to India. Can only imagine response from inlaws if that were your destination. :)

alternative - don't tell them!

Yes, for Tigers you have to visit India, but, they are hard to see....

Lynn, not for your Tiger safari.... im sure, you will see 20 tigers or so with your game viewing luck!

lol - exactly...

The in-laws have some strange ideas about the world outside of England!

(It will just my luck to get mauled by an escaped tiger on the way into work now...)

This thread has me extremely confused, may I ask why as a person from UK you have had a rabies innoculation?
Whilst it is always possible to be bitten by a rabid animal, I think the likelyhood is extremely remote.

Ah - i get you, sorry I wasn't very clear about that bit - I had it for when I was in Peru a couple of years ago (since we were way out in the jungle). Needed a Yellow Fever jab for that too (but at least that one lasts 10 years!)

OK that makes sense now.
Thanks

Whatever it takes to placate the inlaws!

If I do get bitten by one of those 20 tigers I hope to see someday in India, at least I had the rabies shot. I've never been told to get a rabies shot by any travel clinic for Africa, though.

Went for my jab top-ups today, and woohoo - I don't need to do the whole set of 3 again, just a single booster jab! Means it's no worse then any other top-up, and therefore something I'll certainly keep going.

(On the (silly) tiger front, I've decided it makes a good reason to keep going on safari - I'm still looking for the tigers!)