Rabies: exposure, prevention and urgent care

The virus is carried in the saliva of an infected mammal. A bite is the clearest exposure, although scratches contaminated with saliva or saliva reaching broken skin, the eyes, the nose or the mouth can also matter. Touching an animal or contact with intact skin is not handled in the same way.

Once symptoms begin, rabies causes severe disease of the brain and nerves. Prevention therefore starts before symptoms: a clinician assesses the animal, the type and location of contact, local rabies risk, and any previous vaccination.

Immediately wash and flush a bite or scratch thoroughly with soap and running water. Apply an appropriate antiseptic if available, cover the wound lightly, and seek medical assessment without waiting for the animal or wound to look abnormal.

Do not try to capture a stray or wild animal yourself. If it can be done safely, note the animal type, appearance, location, owner details and vaccination information. A clinician can decide whether rabies post-exposure prophylaxis, tetanus protection, antibiotics or other wound treatment is needed.

Get urgent medical advice after any possible bite, scratch or saliva exposure from a bat, wild mammal, stray animal, or an animal that is behaving unusually. Assessment is also urgent for wounds on the face, head, neck or hands, deep wounds, multiple wounds, or contact involving a young child.

Go to emergency care for uncontrolled bleeding, breathing difficulty, confusion, weakness, trouble swallowing or seizures. Do not wait for rabies symptoms before seeking help, even if the exposure happened while travelling or some time ago.

Ask whether the contact counts as a rabies exposure, which wound care is still needed, and whether your previous vaccines change the treatment plan. Tell the clinician where the incident happened, when it occurred, what animal was involved and whether the animal is available for official observation.