Alternative Treatment and Prevention for Rabies

Rabies Treatment

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports that 55,000 people die worldwide each year from the rabies virus. In the United States, only one or two people die each year from rabies. That's largely due to the availability of treatment and vaccines.

  If you've been bitten by an animal known or suspected to be infected with the rabies virus you should wash your wound thoroughly with warm water and soap, then immediately seek medical attention. Your doctor will likely treat you with rabies immune globulin and rabies vaccine. Rabies immune globulin is a fast-acting solution injected near the animal bite to create antibodies that help to protect your body against the rabies virus until your body is able to produce antibodies naturally. The rabies vaccine consists of a series of six rabies shots in your arm over a period of 28 days that can identify the rabies virus and fight it, thus preventing the rabies virus from overtaking you, according to the Mayo Clinic. These treatments, administered immediately after exposure, are known as post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP. Rabies immune globulin is only administered as part of post-exposure prophylaxis and is not given to prevent rabies.

  The post-exposure prophylaxis treatments of rabies immune globulin and rabies vaccine are the only treatments available for rabies. There are no other alternative treatments. Rabies cannot be treated with alternative medicine, home remedies or over-the-counter medications. Death is likely to occur in a matter of days if rabies is not properly treated. According to the FDA, rabies vaccines are successful nearly 100 percent of the time when treatment is sought immediately.

Rabies Prevention

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reports that 90 percent of the rabies cases in the United States occur in wild animals such as bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks. Avoid these and other wild animals. Wild animals exposed to the rabies virus may seem friendly and unafraid of you, which isn't normal. Never approach or engage them. If you see wild or stray animals roaming around or behaving erratically, report them to law enforcement or an animal control agency immediately.

  It is possible for your pet to be infected with the rabies virus and transmit it to you. Talk to your veterinarian about getting your dogs, cats and pets vaccinated against rabies. Never let your pets come into contact with wild animals. Rabbits and other pets that cannot be vaccinated should be kept in a cage or closed-in area when outdoors.

  Never feed or leave food for wild animals. Always seal garbage bags and garbage cans tightly to avoid attracting wild or stray animals. The CDC warns against feeding your pets outdoors and the FDA advises you not to leave pet food outside overnight.

  If you plan to travel abroad, especially to Africa or Southeast Asia, talk to your doctor about whether it's necessary to get a pre-exposure rabies vaccine. Finally, always take proper precautions when camping or hiking to minimize your risk of exposure to wild animals.