Human Rabies - Virginia, 2017.
Human Rabies - Virginia, 2017.
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019 Jan 04;67(5152):1410-1414
Authors: Murphy J, Sifri CD, Pruitt R, Hornberger M, Bonds D, Blanton J, Ellison J, Cagnina RE, Enfield KB, Shiferaw M, Gigante C, Condori E, Gruszynski K, Wallace RM
Abstract
On May 9, 2017, the Virginia Department of Health was notified regarding a patient with suspected rabies. The patient had sustained a dog bite 6 weeks before symptom onset while traveling in India. On May 11, CDC confirmed that the patient was infected with a rabies virus that circulates in dogs in India. Despite aggressive treatment, the patient died, becoming the ninth person exposed to rabies abroad who has died from rabies in the United States since 2008. A total of 250 health care workers were assessed for exposure to the patient, 72 (29%) of whom were advised to initiate postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). The total pharmaceutical cost for PEP (rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine) was approximately $235,000. International travelers should consider a pretravel consultation with travel health specialists; rabies preexposure prophylaxis is warranted for travelers who will be in rabies endemic countries for long durations, in remote areas, or who plan activities that might put them at risk for a rabies exposures.
PMID: 30605446 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... - Category: Epidemiology Authors: Murphy J, Sifri CD, Pruitt R, Hornberger M, Bonds D, Blanton J, Ellison J, Cagnina RE, Enfield KB, Shiferaw M, Gigante C, Condori E, Gruszynski K, Wallace RM Tags: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Source Type: research
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