Last Sunday a news story that got national attention came to a disappointing end. 6-year-old Ryker Roque passed away in Orlando, Florida after being infected with rabies. Roque was scratched by an infected bat his father had tried to save. Had his parents opted to get him the rabies vaccination, the child would still be alive.  

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So how does this affect college students? First off, rabies is rarely talked about and can be quite confusing for young adults who have never encountered it, so here are the facts. Rabies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), “is a fatal zoonotic viral disease transmitted to humans though contact with infected animals both domestic and wild”. Rabies kills nearly 55,000 people each year worldwide. However, in the United States the rate of rabies infection is much lower. Scratches and bites from dogs are responsible for more than 99% of all human rabies deaths. Infection may result in “paralysis, delirium, convulsions and, without medical attention, death in about six days, usually caused by respiratory paralysis,” according to WHO. Worldwide there are only 8-10 recorded patients who contracted rabies and survived- making the disease nearly 100% fatal, but also 100% treatable. If received in time, the rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin is 100% effective.

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However, there are a lot of misleading facts about the disease which could put victims at a disadvantage. Many victims in the United States who have contracted the virus have reported reading online that washing the wound was acceptable treatment, and for one reason or another did not follow up with going to the doctor for a vaccination. Another problem that pops up is if someone is bitten by a domestic animal, the CDC suggests confining and observing the animal for various symptoms for 10 days. If it is a wild animal or an animal which is unable to go through the ten days process, a DFA can be performed. However, this involves catching and killing the animal. The problem with both of these is that medical professionals suggest starting vaccinations within 48 hours of contact- meaning a ten-day observation is too long for a human to seek attention, and receiving test results on a DFA can take up to a week, if not longer. Farther into the WHO’s website is stated that simple observation without treatment is not justified.

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Although all of this information can be found, treatment can be deterring, as it is extensive and expensive (costly if you prefer). The rabies vaccine requires a series of 4 shots along with the additional weight based immune globulin shots. According to the CDC, “Although the cost varies, a course of rabies immune globulin and four doses of vaccine given over a two-week period typically exceeds $3,000”. This is a price that may be shocking to young adults already experiencing debt, especially due to the fact that many insurance policies do not cover the vaccination. However, the CDC also states that, “The cost per human life saved from rabies ranges from approximately $10,000 to $100 million, depending on the nature of the exposure and the probability of rabies in a region”. So even though the cost is high, it’s better than the cost of not receiving the vaccination.

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If bitten or scratched by an animal and you are even remotely worried about rabies, talk to a medical professional immediately. Do your own research before visiting the doctor and ask if they have had experience with the situation before. Follow the advice given but remember 48 hours is the magic number and action is required before then because once symptoms appear in a patient, it is often too late for treatment. For more information visit the CDC website https://www.cdc.gov or the WHO website at http://www.who.int.