Question: Over 2 and a half yrs ago when I had visited a temple at XXXXXXX XXXXXXX a street dog just just touched my leg (trousers) - NO BITE though. Dog's mouth had possibly just brushed against my trousers/legs. Next day morning, I found there was an open scratch and there was an slight open wound (scratch on my leg) at that time. Most probably this scratch was through self scratching unknowingly and not from the dog as I would have surely felt if the dog had scratched me. However, I am now a bit worried that when on the previous day when the dog had accidentally touched my leg, whether by chance if some salvia of the dog might have penetrated my trousers and entered my open wound in the existing scratch on my leg and if the rabies virus might have entered my body. I know its 2 and a half yrs since this incident has happened, but I just learnt that rabies incubation period can be of several yrs..... so getting very worried and anxious and these thoughts are coming in my mind. I am actually an OCD Patient and always get worried with diseases, etc. My Question for you : 1. Is there a chance that I am carrying the rabies virus from what I explained above. My other doctors told me that I am worrying unnecessarily. Especially since 2 years 6 months have passed and I am not 100% sure on the exact place where the dog touched (sniffed) my legs via the trouser. 2. However, as I am getting worried, I just wanted to understand that though it is so late, can I take the anti Rabies injections now ? Will it help ? I am actually a OCD Patient and always get worried with diseases, etc. I found in internet that as rabies has a long incubation period so we can be safe if we take vaccine before the development of symptoms..i.e if Vaccine is taken in incubation period then we are safe...If the virus enters the brain/CNS then symptoms occur, then it is too late. so if we take vaccine before the virus enters the brain then we are safe and the vaccine can arrest the virus in my body if it had by chance entered -is it so ?? I wanted this expert answer from you 3. If the answer to the question above is YES, and that even if I take the Rabies shots now to arrest any virus, shall I take the 5 shots of Anti Rabies - Please advise ( It is now almost 2 years and 6 months since this incident happened). This way, I will have a peace of mind. Will be really grateful if you give me some professional guidance on the above. Regards,

Thank you Dr. Dede for your kind revert.

Just one question for my understanding :

I read in the internet that one can take vaccination before the symptoms show or the virus reaches the CNS.

So is it correct that while rabies vaccines ( Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis ) should start immediately after exposure but even if one is very late and he/she is not showing any symptoms and the virus has not reached the CNS, he/she can still take the Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis - even after few years ? Does the Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis at such late duration indeed offer any protection against very old exposures if it had ever happened ?

Regards,

Dear Dr. Dede,

Thank you so much for your kind reply and reassurance. have noted the same.

Just for my understanding and my education, I still wanted to understand :

whether it is correct that while rabies vaccines ( Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis ) should start immediately after exposure but even if one is very late and he/she is not showing any symptoms and the virus has not reached the CNS, he/she can still take the Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis - even after few years ?

Does the Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis at such late duration indeed offer any protection against very old exposures if it had ever happened ?

I read in the internet that one can take vaccination before the symptoms show or the virus reaches the CNS. Is this true or is that incorrect.

Just wanted to understand the same.

Kind Regards,