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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is The Anti Rabies Vaccination Necessary?

there was a bat in our new student house a week ago, I had been living in the house a month prior to my house mate living in, he was scratched by the bat and went in for treatment. Unfortunately we did not keep the bat for tests. A week later, my throat is very sore, and my girlfriend has red spots on her body (not many). It is possible that the bat had eaten from a box of cookies that was open and in the same cupboard as the bat; however I am unsure how long the bat was in there for, and the cookies have been in there for 2 weeks (1 week prior to my friends scratch). I am also unsure if we ate the cookies since they were in that specific cupboard. What are the chances of us having rabies? The bat did not seem rabid, when we caught it, it was hissing, but I think it was scared because it was covered by a bowl. Are we just being hypochondriacs? or should we get rabies shots. When is it too late to receive treatment? I understand that rabies are very fatal. Thank you for your time, Matt
Thu, 20 Nov 2014
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello
Since your point is very delicate so I am writing some route of transmission of rabies .
Infection ( rabies ) can be transmitted by salivary contact with nonintact skin or mucous membrane (it means if , as you suspecting that bat might have ate some cookies , so saliva of these bat may be on the cookies which you ate?).
Infection can occur still in contact and respiratory isolation.
However , there was not an instance of bite ( direct in your case)but receive rabies post exposure prophylaxis .(STUDIES based on Grantz's test book).
At present get in anti rabies injections as advised by physician .
As far as concerned about sore throat and rashes , may be due to some allergy and infection , so consult a physician and get his opinion.
Good luck.
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Is The Anti Rabies Vaccination Necessary?

Hello Since your point is very delicate so I am writing some route of transmission of rabies . Infection ( rabies ) can be transmitted by salivary contact with nonintact skin or mucous membrane (it means if , as you suspecting that bat might have ate some cookies , so saliva of these bat may be on the cookies which you ate?). Infection can occur still in contact and respiratory isolation. However , there was not an instance of bite ( direct in your case)but receive rabies post exposure prophylaxis .(STUDIES based on Grantz s test book). At present get in anti rabies injections as advised by physician . As far as concerned about sore throat and rashes , may be due to some allergy and infection , so consult a physician and get his opinion. Good luck.