Health Update: Rabies jabs 'unnecessary for most travellers'

ANYONE planning a visit to areas where rabies is endemic, such as South-East Asia and South America, may be considering vaccination before going, especially since the recent death of a Briton in Indonesia.

But Dr Cameron Lockie, a GP in Stratford-upon-Avon who runs a British Airways travel clinic, says in General Practitioner that the only people at real risk from rabies are those living rough. Those staying in hotels are at low risk.

Travellers should, however, know what to do if bitten by a dog they suspect of being rabid: clean the wound thoroughly, trace the animal's owner if possible and seek medical advice on post-exposure immunisation, which, if given early enough, will almost always prevent the disease.