What Are The Chances Of Infection After A Bite From Rabid Dog?

Posted on Sun, 1 Feb 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 1 Feb 2015 Answered on

Mon, 2 Mar 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi,
I have been bitten by a rabid dog. Although I have taken the treatement but still I am afraid that I rabies will infect my brain and I ll have to die. I want to know how Can I make sure that I will die with dignity with as less pain and trauma as possible in an isolation ward. Are there special kind of hospitals for such cases ?

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You will not get rabies or die if treatment is taken as per schedule

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

I have read through your query in detail.
If you have taken treatment starting from the day of being bitten by the dog then please do not worry about getting rabies, even if you have been bitten by a rabid dog. Please continue to take ARV remaining doses as per schedule.

Regarding treatment of rabies patients or any patients for that matter, doctors provide maximum dignity and offer all supportive treatment to any patient suffering from rabies and any disease requiring isolation. Government hospitals have isolation wards to treat patients having such diseases.

It will be good if you can observe the dog for 10 days and see if it behaves abnormally. Do not cause any harm to the dog and see that no one provokes it to bite any other person.

Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vivek Chail (25 minutes later)

Thanks XXXXXXX Actually I had not washed the wounds with water and soap for 5 minutes. There was a hospital just across the road where I was bitten by rabid dog. I immediately went to that hospital. There the doctor cleaned only one of my wound(bigger one on thigh) with some disinfectant. He forgot to wash the minor wounds on my calf. I didnt notice it either as there was no pain in this wound. In addition The doctor did not inject the immunoglobulin in this minor wound saying its trivial. Can I take extra shot of immunoglobulin in this wound now ? I was bitten on 24/01/2015.

Another thing is that dog bit me from above my pants only. and the cloth was not torn although it caused bleeding. Does it lower the severity of the bite ?

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (10 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Taking immunoglobulin after 8 days will not help

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.

1. Since the wound was over the pants therefore there was less amount of contamination.

2. Further the wound is from the brain the less risky it is. Therefore a wound on thigh is less severe in terms of distance from brain. Head and neck wounds are more severe.

3. Please take 1 injection on day 0, 3, 7, 14 and 28 as scheduled.

4. Taking immuoglobulins after 8 days will not help.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vivek Chail (9 minutes later)

I want to have medical tests performed on me to know whether :

1. Rabies-fighting Anti-bodies have activated in my body
2. Rabies virus has started travelling from wound site towards brain or Nervous sytem.

Kindly suggest me some medical tests to remain confident that vaccine has indeed started working or not.

Answered by Dr. Vivek Chail (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Please get Anti rabies antibodies test done 30 days from first vaccination

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for writing back with an update.

Please find answers below
1. Antibody levels after vaccination is usually done after 30 days from first dose using a specific test. In humans a result of 0.5 IU/mL or higher is considered an acceptable response to rabies vaccination according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Please contact a well known laboratory in your place and ask for the test to be done at the appropriate time after 30 days from start of vaccination.

2. Rabies virus travelling to brain cannot be tracked in humans.

Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.

Regards,
Dr.Vivek

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar