Is a Rabies vax necessary?

[PPMMUU]

29 minutes ago, Robin said:

Advice given to me from the DR of a major UK company;

Rabies Vaccine will not give you 100% protection, but increases the time you have to get to a major hospital and start full treatment if you know you have been bitten by a Rabid animal.

Two other points;

1.  Rabies treatment is very grim;  injections direct into your stomach with large needles.

2.  Nobody, but Nobody has ever survived Rabies.  If you get Rabies, you die.  Fact.

Thankfully, most animal owners here take advantage of the Thai government low cost, 10Baht, Rabies vacc. for domestic animals, so most Thai pets are Vacced.

Best advice I can offer is to void any chance of being bitten, if you can, and make sure all you pets and neighbours'  pet are vacced. every year.  

In our village the chief local vet comes at least once a year and sets up in thee temple compound, and inject all temple strays and every other animal brought for injection.

Injection into the stomach is for rabies prevention, not treatment, albeit an outdated method. This immunoglobulin regimen, which is quite expensive, no longer needs to be administered in the stomach but is still costly. Completing the rabies vaccine series beforehand will eliminate the need for this.

[PPMMUU]

19 minutes ago, Mark Nothing said:

My opinion is they make up these wild prepostorous virus theories to milk the gullible hypochondriacs of their money.

 

Dogs packs are everywhere in Thailand, but I have never seen a rabid dog or known anyone to have rabies.  

 

We all have a special built in immune system to easily fix this problem.  You just have to know how.

Rabies death news is, like, a yearly thing in Thailand.

[Lorry]

6 hours ago, Mark Nothing said:

My opinion is they make up these wild prepostorous virus theories to milk the gullible hypochondriacs of their money.

 

Dogs packs are everywhere in Thailand, but I have never seen a rabid dog or known anyone to have rabies.  

 

We all have a special built in immune system to easily fix this problem.  You just have to know how.

Candidate for poster of the year. 

If it weren't such a deadly subject. 

 

You cannot see that a dog has rabies - they don't turn purple. Of course, they carry a big  sign "I have rabies", sure.  But it's in Thai,  a language I am sure you cannot read.

 

And of course you don't know anybody who has  or had rabies.

Nobody in Thailand or South East  Asia has ever survived rabies, and you probably don't frequent ICUs and cemeteries.

UK and Australia don't have rabies,  btw, don't know where you are from. 

There are rabies patients in Thailand,  not many, fortunately. All die.

[The Fugitive]

22 minutes ago, Lorry said:

Candidate for poster of the year. 

If it weren't such a deadly subject. 

 

You cannot see that a dog has rabies - they don't turn purple. Of course, they carry a big  sign "I have rabies", sure.  But it's in Thai,  a language I am sure you cannot read.

 

And of course you don't know anybody who has  or had rabies.

Nobody in Thailand or South East  Asia has ever survived rabies, and you probably don't frequent ICUs and cemeteries.

UK and Australia don't have rabies,  btw, don't know where you are from. 

There are rabies patients in Thailand,  not many, fortunately. All die.

I suspect you replied to a troll post. Having said that, there are people who genuinely believe that 10 deaths per annum out of a population of 66 million represents such an infinitesimal risk that rabies vaccination is preposterous.

[Lorry]

14 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

I suspect you replied to a troll post. Having said that, there are people who genuinely believe that 10 deaths per annum out of a population of 66 million represents such an infinitesimal risk that rabies vaccination is preposterous.

Not much better. 

There are so few cases exactly because people and animals got vaccinated. 

It wasn't always like this: I got my training with videos of rabies patients from Thailand.  Nowadays, they make these videos in India. 

[LosLobo]

3 hours ago, Lorry said:

Candidate for poster of the year. 

If it weren't such a deadly subject. 

 

You cannot see that a dog has rabies - they don't turn purple. Of course, they carry a big  sign "I have rabies", sure.  But it's in Thai,  a language I am sure you cannot read.

 

And of course you don't know anybody who has  or had rabies.

Nobody in Thailand or South East  Asia has ever survived rabies, and you probably don't frequent ICUs and cemeteries.

UK and Australia don't have rabies,  btw, don't know where you are from. 

There are rabies patients in Thailand, not many, fortunately. All die.

Actually, Rabies (rabies lyssavirus) is not present in Australia per se, yet ABLV (Australian bat lyssavirus) is endemic.

Both belong to the same Lyssavirus genus and rabies vaccine is also indicated for exposures. 

[Lorry]

48 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

Actually, Rabies (rabies lyssavirus) is not present in Australia per se, yet ABLV (Australian bat lyssavirus) is endemic.

Both belong to the same Lyssavirus genus and rabies vaccine is also indicated for exposures. 

Thx, didn't know this. 

 

[Cereal]

Many animals carry the rabies virus. If you get bitten by a strange animal you must start the rabies series of inoculations. If you do not and start to show signs of rabies infection it is too late. You are dead. Rabies is 100% fatal.

[john donson]

vaxxed or not ... if you got bitten, you need what.... more vaxx... so why bother, prevention in this case means nothing

[LosLobo]

16 minutes ago, john donson said:

vaxxed or not ... if you got bitten, you need what.... more vaxx... so why bother, prevention in this case means nothing

 

Rabies PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) is crucial for high-risk individuals, such as those who work with animals or live in areas where rabies is prevalent. Here's why it's important, even if additional doses are needed after a bite:

1. Faster Response: If you've had the PrEP, your immune system is already primed to respond to the virus. This means that after a potential exposure, you only need two additional doses of the vaccine, rather than the full post-exposure series, and no Rabies Immune Globulin (RIG), which is expensive, a blood product with inherent issues and often in short supply.

2. Safety Net: Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. PrEP serves as a crucial safety net, providing your body with a head start in fighting the virus, which is especially important if there’s any delay in receiving post-exposure treatment.

3. Global Travel: In some regions, access to rabies vaccines or RIG can be limited. Having PrEP ensures you are partially protected, buying you time to seek full post-exposure treatment.

4. Peace of Mind: PrEP reduces the anxiety and stress associated with potential exposures, knowing that your body is better prepared to handle the virus.

In summary, while post-exposure treatment is still necessary after a bite, Rabies PrEP significantly improves your chances of avoiding the disease, making it a worthwhile preventive measure.
 

[Sheryl]

Off topic posts removed. 

 

[recom273]

On 8/9/2024 at 2:03 PM, scubascuba3 said:

My costs were:

First shot in the wound 3,000 baht Pattaya City Hospital - possibly falang price.

3 subsequent shots 250 baht each Bang Lamung Hospital.

Someone i know paid 19,000 baht at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, milked as usual

You never know where you will get bitten, the vaccine is not necessary, however, I worked with some guys who got bitten whilst riding a bike. One, a new arrival to the country, was on Samui and he too got rinsed at a private hospital, as you have pointed out. 

[LosLobo]

1 minute ago, recom273 said:

You never know where you will get bitten, the vaccine is not necessary, however, I worked with some guys who got bitten whilst riding a bike. One, a new arrival to the country, was on Samui and he too got rinsed at a private hospital, as you have pointed out. 

If infected, you will die without the vaccine.

[The Fugitive]

34 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

 

Rabies PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) is crucial for high-risk individuals, such as those who work with animals or live in areas where rabies is prevalent. Here's why it's important, even if additional doses are needed after a bite:

1. Faster Response: If you've had the PrEP, your immune system is already primed to respond to the virus. This means that after a potential exposure, you only need two additional doses of the vaccine, rather than the full post-exposure series, and no Rabies Immune Globulin (RIG), which is expensive, a blood product with inherent issues and often in short supply.

2. Safety Net: Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. PrEP serves as a crucial safety net, providing your body with a head start in fighting the virus, which is especially important if there’s any delay in receiving post-exposure treatment.

3. Global Travel: In some regions, access to rabies vaccines or RIG can be limited. Having PrEP ensures you are partially protected, buying you time to seek full post-exposure treatment.

4. Peace of Mind: PrEP reduces the anxiety and stress associated with potential exposures, knowing that your body is better prepared to handle the virus.

In summary, while post-exposure treatment is still necessary after a bite, Rabies PrEP significantly improves your chances of avoiding the disease, making it a worthwhile preventive measure.

100% in agreement. Excellent reasoning.

[LosLobo]

On 8/9/2024 at 2:03 PM, scubascuba3 said:

My costs were:

First shot in the wound 3,000 baht Pattaya City Hospital - possibly falang price.

3 subsequent shots 250 baht each Bang Lamung Hospital.

Someone i know paid 19,000 baht at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, milked as usual

The 3,000 baht first shot injected into the wound was likely Equine Rabies Immuno-Globulin (ERIG) and the 19,000 baht regime likely included Human Rabies Immuno-Globulin (HRIG) which far is more expensive. These prices are not necessarily exorbitant and are one of the penalties of not being prepared with Rabies PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis).

 

[LosLobo]

Duplicate Post

[recom273]

23 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

If infected, you will die without the vaccine.

Sorry, just woke up, meant pre-exposure.
 

Thanks for the other post regarding prices, so you share the opinion that to avoid expensive treatment after a bite, then a pre exposure is a good measure?

 

The usual forum answer is, no need, just get a jab if infected. When I taught in Hat Yai, a guy got bitten whilst riding a bike and the cost was reasonable. When the guy got bitten on Samui, he seemed to be paying a lot, a newly arrived teacher, no insurance, no money, no backup, I had to bail him out. 

[Lorry]

2 hours ago, recom273 said:

Thanks for the other post regarding prices, so you share the opinion that to avoid expensive treatment after a bite, then a pre exposure is a good measure?

 

 Yes.

If you are bitten and never had pre exposure vaccination,   expensive immunoglobulin is recommended.

 

It's not only expensive (19,000 for human rabies immunoglobuline would be cheap), it's also very hard to get.

Most places in rural Thailand don't have it, that's why you will hear from many people that they didn't get it. It just wasn't avalable,  but, of course,  nobody told them.

 

In Indonesia it is almost impossible to get outside Bali and Jakarta, I have known people airlifted (by their travel insurance) from rural Indonesia just to get rabies immunoglobuline.

(Others I knew flew in panic from Mexico to Miami to get it, thousands of dollars and some very exciting days)

In Laos and Cambodia outside the capitals, no way you will get it  (and I don't think you would find it in Vientiane, either)

[JohnnieB]

My international  innoculation doctor in Australia said that the adverse reaction to the vaccination is not worth it. You can get it if you get bitten. In my 5 years living in various provinces I know of no ferang that has ever been bitten. Not to say some have been bitten and treated. 

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, JohnnieB said:

My international  innoculation doctor in Australia said that the adverse reaction to the vaccination is not worth it. You can get it if you get bitten. In my 5 years living in various provinces I know of no ferang that has ever been bitten. Not to say some have been bitten and treated. 

Good advice IMHO

[PPMMUU]

Australia is not Thailand.

https://www.who-rabies-bulletin.org/site-page/occurrence-rabies

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, PPMMUU said:

Australia is not Thailand.

https://www.who-rabies-bulletin.org/site-page/occurrence-rabies

 

 

There are a few members on here who struggle at times.......but I'm pretty sure most...if not all...knew that.

[PPMMUU]

3 hours ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

There are a few members on here who struggle at times.......but I'm pretty sure most...if not all...knew that.

Definitely not all. Some still think that Australian advice is applicable in Thailand.