Rabies is the bigger threat to human lives - Deccan Chronicle

HYDERABAD: Rabies virus infection if not treated early is fatal in more than 99 per cent of cases, making it one of the world's deadliest diseases, according to Dr Omesh Kumar Bharti, a field  epidemiologist from Shimla, who received the Padma Shri award for his ground-breaking research to treat rabid dog bite patients at low cost.

Rabies is almost always fatal once clinical signs appear.

Dr Bharti, in an interview over the phone, told Deccan Chronicle, stated that the mortality rate due to rabies was high, citing WHO figures indicating 18,000 to 20,000 deaths being reported in India annually. The number of dog bites in India had increased six to seven times in the past decade.

The Fever Hospital is witnessing more than twice the number of cases as summer approaches, and each day during the summer approximately 120 dog bite patients are treated at the hospital, Dr Bharti told Deccan Chronicle.

Dr Bharti said governments should take stringent measures to prevent rabies deaths. The population of dogs was not being controlled due to new regulations and, therefore, immunisation should be made available easily and freely to both animals and humans, he said.

Dr Bharti says treatment for rabies is expensive. Dr Bharti noted that governments have a greater obligation to reduce the population of stray dogs and ensure that they are vaccinated.

Dr Bharti had invented a method of injecting serum into the wound, allowing one vial to successfully cure up to 20 patients. In 2018, the World Health Organisation evaluated the procedure and authorised it as a low-cost anti-rabies treatment protocol.

Meanwhile, Dr K. Shankar, superintendent at Fever Hospital, stated that the hospital staff was vaccinating 40 to 60 people each day who were bitten by stray dogs. During the summer, the number increased to 80 to 120 people per day.

According to Dr Ashish Chauhan, consultant at Apollo Hospitals, with over 80,000 dog bite cases reported in Telangana last year, vaccination and prevention were the only solutions. Pre-exposure profile access vaccination was available and could be used by persons who have pets or are in close contact to dog attacks.

Safety first

Doctors advice four steps after a dog bite.

Rushing to the physician is the most important step

Wash the wound using mild soap and running tap water on the wound for 10-15 minutes.

Slow the bleeding using a clean cloth

Apply antiseptic cream or lotion on the wound

Wrap the wound with the sterile bandage.

Watch for signs of infection, including redness, swelling, increase in pain and fever. 

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