Dr. Vinay Dange Ramesh
Community Medicine
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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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I got scratched by a dog, but I do not need a vaccine as I got a rabies vaccine booster dose 7 to 8 days before the incident. Is it possible to get the rabies virus into my son's eye if my wound (caused by the dog) comes in contact with my son's eyes after 24 hours of a dog bite or scratch when my son was crying? Can the rabies virus from my wound infect my son if my wound comes in contact with his mucus membrane? Does tear have any role in getting the rabies virus into the body?
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
Rabies virus is transmitted through direct contact (such as through broken skin or mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, or mouth) with infectious tissue or fluids. Infectious tissues include tears, nervous tissue, saliva, and respiratory tract fluids. Blood, urine, and feces are not infectious. The exposure of intact skin to infectious tissue or fluids rarely constitutes a risk for virus transmission. Rabies is not transmitted through contaminated objects or materials such as clothes or bedding. The rabies virus is fragile and is killed by desiccation (drying out), ultraviolet light, and common disinfectants.
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
Does the tear of the baby have any role in helping the rabies virus to get into the body through the eye? Or is there no relationship between the tears and rabies infection if the rabies virus could get into the eyes by any means? If, due to some reason, some tears return to the eye (if he is made calm in the middle of crying), then can the person get infected by the rabies virus?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
No, it does not spread like this. As far as it is concerned, tears do not return to your eyes again.
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Community Medicine
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