Patient's question:
On September 1st, I finished my last dose of rabies vaccine without checking for antibodies. On October 14th in the afternoon, I was bitten by a rabid dog. I treated the wound with soap water at the time, and the animal control station said to check for antibodies the next day before treating. On October 15th in the morning, the antibody test came back positive. Will I not get rabies now? For safety, I received two more vaccine doses. Is it guaranteed that I won’t get rabies? Additionally, I am 32 weeks pregnant. Will my child carry the rabies virus in the future?Doctor's answer:
Hello, rabies is an infectious disease caused by a viral infection, with clinical manifestations such as characteristic hydrophobia, fear of sound, fear of wind, restlessness, pharyngeal muscle spasm, and progressive paralysis. This virus is primarily transmitted through chain-like spread via broken mucous membranes or open skin wounds. After being bitten by an animal, it is important to immediately wash the wound with soap and water, disinfect the wound, and ideally receive a rabies vaccine within 24 hours according to the procedure to prevent the worst-case scenario.