Vet Talk Should pet owners in Singapore worry about rabies?

Rabies might seem like a distant threat to Singaporeans, but the numbers tell a concerning story.

- Heng Zhan Pei

According to the World Health Organisation, around 70,000 people die from rabies each year worldwide, with dogs responsible for 99 per cent of these deaths. Children are particularly at risk, making up 40 per cent of victims under 15 years old.

Most cases occur in Asia and Africa, which account for 95 per cent of global deaths. What makes rabies especially frightening is that once symptoms appear in infected people, the disease is almost always fatal, with death occurring within 10 days.

PREVENTION STRATEGIES

In places where rabies is present, safeguarding humans against it is done through two key strategies: post-exposure treatment for bite victims and vaccination programmes for dogs.

When people are bitten by rabid dogs, post-exposure treatment involves administering rabies antibodies and a series of vaccines to protect against the development of symptoms and ultimately death.

Vaccinating dogs has proven to be more effective than post-exposure treatment. Research has shown that by vaccinating 70 per cent of dogs in rabies-affected areas, the disease can be eliminated eventually.

This approach not only protects dogs, but also prevents human rabies cases. Furthermore, dog vaccination is more cost-effective, costing about $5 a dog, while post-exposure treatment can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars a person.

OPERATION VAX LYSSA: SINGAPORE'S BORDER SAFEGUARD