Rabies

Rabies is a fatal but preventable viral disease. It can spread to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by a rabid animal.

Please consult your doctor, pharmacist or a travel health clinic for further information.

Key facts

Rabies is still present and still almost always fatal when left untreated²
Rabies is estimated to cause 59,000 deaths annually with the vast majority occurring in Africa and Asia²
Travellers may have misconceptions about rabies and may underestimate their risks for exposure^3,4
European tourism to developing countries, where rabies persists as a serious risk, is on the rise^2,5
Based on information from 2015, most travellers do not seek pre-travel medical advice from a healthcare professional³
A bite, a scratch or even saliva on broken skin can cause fatal infection⁶
Rabid animals act in surprising, unpredictable ways⁷

What is rabies?

A lethal bug which infects travellers who are bitten or scratched by an infected animal. Rabies is deadly unless it’s treated straight away, so travellers in high-risk countries should get help immediately if they are bitten or scratched.^1,2

Risk areas for rabies

map

How do you get rabies?

Being bitten or scratched by infected animals such as dogs (which account for 99% of human cases), bats or foxes.⁸ The rabies virus is found in saliva.

What are the symptoms of rabies?

The initial symptoms can include pain and tingling/numbness around the site of the wound, nausea, vomiting, and even sometimes a fear of water (hydrophobia).⁸ As it spreads through the brain, it can cause hyperactivity, changes in consciousness and paralysis.² In the majority of cases, it usually takes 1-3 months before symptoms start to show, although this has been shown to take up to 1 year.⁸

How serious is rabies?

Once symptoms appear it can be fatal.⁸

Can I prevent getting rabies?

You can take the following precautions to help reduce your risk of infection:

Visit your nearest convenient pharmacy or specialist travel health clinic for a risk assessment before your trip
Avoid contact with animals that may bite⁹
If you are bitten or scratched, the wound should be cleaned thoroughly with plenty of soap and water, and treated with a disinfectant containing iodine or another substance that kills viruses. Seek medical help immediately.⁹

Useful links

General travel health advice

Fitfortravel Travel Health Pro gov.uk foreign travel advice

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rabies: cdc.gov (Last accessed March 2023).
WHO. What is Rabies. Available online: who.int (Last accessed March 2023).
McIntosh I. Pre-Travel Health Consultation. Journal of Travel Medicine. 2015; 22,3;143-144.
International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers. Travel Health Journal. 5 misconceptions about rabies. Available online: iamat.org (Last accessed March 2023).
Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries. European outbound tourism. Available online: ebi.eu. (Last accessed March 2023).
WHO. Rabies Key Facts. who.int (Last accessed March 2023).
Weese J & Fulford M. Viral Diseases. In: Companion Animal zoonoses. 2010. onlinelibrary.wiley.com (Last accessed March 2023).
World Health Organisation. Weekly Epidemiological Record. WHO Position Paper on Rabies. April 2018. Available online: who.int (Last accessed March 2023).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yellow Book 2020. Chapter 4 Travel-Related Infectious Diseases. Rabies. June 2019. Available online: cdc.gov (Last accessed March 2023).

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