As fall is upon us, the season of walks in the country side is soon coming to an end, but the risk of accidental animal bites is still very real….
Most people love pets, and animals in general, but few realize that exposure torabies is something that could be relevant to them…. until it is! China is, in fact, one of the areas with the highest risk for rabies worldwide! According to data from Shanghai CDC, there were 18 documented cases of rabies between 2010 and 2014. “Dog bite clinics” (which take care of all the patients after any potential exposure to rabies in the Chinese system) in Shanghai have more than 240,000 visits per year!
Most of the patients who sustained bites are familiar with, or even own the animal involved in the incident.
And since rabies is a deadly viral infection, it obviously has to be taken seriously.
Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital has officially launched its 24-hour Rabies Prevention Clinic.It provides both pre-exposure immunizations and post-exposure treatment services. This is a great new alternative for patient to the CDC’s busy “dog bite clinics”.
As the exclusive designated international service provider for the first China International Import Expo,Jiahui International is the first private hospital to set up a fully licensed Rabies Prevention Clinic in Shanghai.These services are available in several languages, including Chinese, English and French for a smoother patient experience.
● How do I contact the rabies clinic of Jiahui International Hospital?
You can call the hospital hotline at 400-868-3000 any time. The staff will guide you on how to reach the rabies clinic at Jiahui International Hospital. The hospital is located at No. 689, Guiping Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai.
● What can I do before going to hospital?
• Flush your wound thoroughly with soap and water for at least 15 minutes by rinsing the wound with tap water, preferably with high pressure. Afterwards, rinse the wound to wash away soap or cleaning agents.
• Then if available, sterilize the wound with 0.025%-0.05% iodine, 0.005%-0.01% benzalkonium chloride or other disinfectants able to kill the virus.
• Those disinfectant should not be applied to eyes or mucous membranes. For wounds affecting those areas, just flush with water or saline solution and seek medical assistance.
• Be aware that when indicated, rabies preventive treatment should be started as soon as possible.
Jiahui Rabies Clinic is equipped with professional equipment and experienced medical staff, providing professional wound management.
● How do I estimate the severity of my bite wound?
Bite, scratches and other injuries putting you at risk for rabies can be divided into three levels: category I, II, and III (from low to high). The CDC recommends different treatment plan for different types of contact. We highly suggest that you go to the hospital for proper medical assessment as soon as possible, because what seems like a minor wound to you may actually be considered a significant exposure by an experienced physician.The three categories of contact are:
● Is rabies vaccination required for all animal bites?
Only mammals carry the rabies virus. Birds, fish, insects, lizards, turtles, snakesetc do not spread the rabies virus.The main source of rabies are dogs, cats and Bats. Although small rodents (such as gerbils, chipmunks, guinea pigs, squirrels, rats, mice, and rabbits) are also susceptible to this viral infection, rabies is rare but not impossible.
The average incubation period of rabies is 1 to 3 months. However, it could range from a few days to several years after exposure. Rabies is 100% fatal once you have started to show symptoms of the disease.
The decision to start the treatment to prevent rabies involves a complex multifactorial assessment. Physician must consider many complicated factors including:
- the possible contact between saliva/secretions of animals and the bloodstream of the patient
- previous rabies vaccinations received by patients (if any)
- the risk level of the source animal
- the type and site of the wound
-the past medical history of the patient and his/her immunological status.
Therefore, we recommend that patients seek medical care by an expert physician as soon as possible.
In addition, like any wound, bits (animal and human) are susceptible to tetanus. As soon as the skin is broken, a physician must confirm the patient's tetanus immunization status. Hence, tetanus vaccine or tetanus immunoglobulin injections may be required.
● What kind of bite wounds can be dealt with at the rabies prevention clinic at Jiahui International Hospital?
The emergency department of Jiahui International Hospital has experienced clinicians, comprehensive state of the art medical facilities, and strong support from a multi-disciplinary team. We can handle all types of bite wounds.
● What is the average charge of rabies clinic?
Alas there is no standard answer since it depends on the treatment(s) needed(vaccines, immunoglobulin, etc). It also depends on the type of the wound and the damage sustained (as procedure fees may be incurred if stitches are required for instance).The average consultation fee is around 1600RMB (vaccine-Rabies immunoglobulin fee not included).
●What other services does the rabies clinic provide?
We also provide pre-exposure prophylactic rabies vaccination services (getting vaccinated before being bitten). The World Health Organization and China Technical Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Rabies recommend that all individuals who are continuously or frequently exposed to the risk of the rabies should have pre-exposure prophylaxis, including:
- laboratory and medical staff exposed to the rabies virus or rabies cases.
- veterinarians, animal trainers and agronomy students who are constantly exposed to animals.
- people who are often exposed to animals such as cats and dogs.
In addition, pre-exposure immunization is recommended for tourists visiting high-risk areas, children living in areas where rabies is endemic, or children traveling in high-risk areas for rabies (like China).
People who have previously been fully vaccinated against rabies will have built up antibodies against this virus. If they are potentially exposed to the rabies virus again, high levels of antibodies can be produced in about 14 days by giving booster shots of the rabies vaccines according to the CDC protocol. In this case, effective protection is obtained in a short time.
If you have sustained a wound, an animal bite, a contact with a bat or if you feel you have possibly been exposed to rabies, please visit Jiahui’s Rabies Prevention Clinic as soon as possible. You are also welcome if you want to obtain the preventive rabies vaccination, for you or your loved ones!
For appointments/inquiries, call
400-868-3000
Location:
689 Guiping Road
Xuhui District, Shanghai
