Rabies Fact Sheet

ABOUT 59 000 DEATHS OCCUR ANUALLY WORLDWIDE DUE TO RABIES

40% of the victims are children younger than 15. The virus attacks the brain and is fatal once symptoms appear. Vaccinating saves lives. Rabies is 100% preventable.

VIRUS TRANSMISSION

Transmitted from a rabid animal via saliva that can enter the body through:

• Bites
• Scratches or open wounds

PET VACCINATIONS

• An animal in an enclosed yard is still at risk and must be vaccinated.
• Vaccinating 70% of dogs breaks the rabies transmission cycle in an area at risk.

TREATMENT & PREVENTION

• Washing of the wound with soap (for at least 15 minutes).
• Preventive & post-exposure vaccine injections.
• Seek immediate medical care, if bitten or scratched by an infected animal.

INCREASE SURVEILLANCE

• Any warm-blooded mammal can carry or contract Rabies.
• Unprovoked abnormal aggression.
• Abnormal behaviour.
• Restlessness.
• Incoordination and paralysis.
• Hyper salivation.

RABIES VIRUSES IN ANIMAL CARCASSES

• The virus can persist in animal carcasses brain matter for 18 days at cold temperatures (4°C) and for 3 days at 35°C. ¹
• The virus is no longer infectious once the material containing the virus is dry.

¹ McElhinney LM, Marston DA, Brookes SM, Fooks AR. Effects of carcase decomposition on rabies virus infectivity and detection. J Virol Methods. 2014 Oct;207:110-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2014.06.024. Epub 2014 Jul 7. PMID: 25010791.