HomeAnswersInfectious DiseasesrabiesMy hand was scratched by a stray dog twice, and I forgot to wash it. Will there be an exposure to rabies infection?

Can rabies be transmitted through a stray dog's scratch?

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The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

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Published At September 19, 2022
Reviewed AtJuly 20, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Two days ago in the evening, I was walking on a road and felt something scratching my hand twice. I looked back, and there was a stray dog. I pushed the dog away and checked my hand. I could see no saliva or any scratch mark. I came home two hours later and forgot to wash my hands, as I initially thought there was no significant exposure. I washed my hands only at night, but I interacted with my family and played with the children. Do I need to take a rabies vaccination?

Would my family members possibly be exposed to the virus through the mucous route if they touched my hand and then touched their mouth, eyes, or nose? I am afraid it was nighttime, and no sunlight exposure could have quickly killed the virus. But, on the other hand, can the virus survive for two hours in sweat, a small scratch, or a blood clot on my skin and remain infectious?

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Please watch the dog's condition for one week to rule out rabies. Because the dog may not have been vaccinated, rabies vaccination is preferable for your absolute safety. The rabies vaccine must be administered according to the schedule below.

  1. Suppose you have not previously been vaccinated. Then you should begin a regimen of four 1 ml doses of HDCV (human diploid cell culture rabies vaccine) or PCECV (purified chick embryo cell culture rabies vaccine) vaccines administered intramuscularly as soon as possible, preferably within 48 to 72 hours. After exposure, the first dose of the four dose course should be given as soon as possible. The following doses should be given on days 3, 7, and 14 following the first vaccination.
  2. If you have previously been immunized, you should receive two intramuscular doses of the vaccine (1.0 ml each), one immediately and one three days later.

For adults, the vaccination should always be administered intramuscularly in the arm. Even if it is not immediately after scratch, please get vaccinated. Since it is scratch, it is a risk category where you should get vaccinated. The virus can enter the body through open wounds in the skin. In addition, the virus can pass through mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, mouth, and intestine. Transmission occurs when rabid animals with the virus in their saliva bite people. In unusual situations, people contracted rabies by breathing air that carried high virus concentrations. This happens in bat caves. It has also occurred in laboratories where improper procedures resulted in a mist or aerosol containing the virus. Contact with a rabid animal's blood, urine, or manure is not a risk factor for contracting rabies. The virus can become inactive, but the rate at which this happens is determined by moisture, sunlight, and temperature. It is no longer infectious if the rabies virus has dried out or been exposed to sunlight.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you for the reply.

I had already been vaccinated and had begun my two doses of vaccines. Unfortunately, observing a dog is impossible because it is a stray dog in another area. Should I also get my children vaccinated? It had been two hours since the saliva had dried. However, there was no sunlight. The temperature was around 25 degree Celsius, and the humidity was close to 90%. As a result, my hand may have come into direct or indirect contact with my children's noses, mouths, and eyes. If the child needs to be vaccinated, should I get all five doses, or can it be done more like a Pre-EP of three doses as a precaution?

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

It is good that you have started the vaccination of two doses. Your child (age unknown) apparently did not have any direct exposure. The vaccine will not harm your child since three doses are all you need to provide as pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Shubadeep Debabrata Sinha
Dr. Shubadeep Debabrata Sinha

Infectious Diseases

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