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Canadian boy, 11, dies of rabies after waking to bat on his face (www.bbc.com)
submitted 4 months ago by [B] to c/hackernews@lemmy.bestiver.se
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[–] 18 points 4 months ago (5 children)

Your reminder that rabies has no symptoms until it's too late, and its a awful disease to die of. If you find a bat in your house and there is any chance it bit you (sometimes its hard to tell), go get a rabies shot series

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  • [–] 11 points 4 months ago* (1 child)

    It doesn't even need to bite you. Licking, scratching, anything that results in saliva contact is a candidate for rabies transmission. If you come into contact with a bat or may have come into contact with a bat or other wild animal, go get your vaccination.

    You typically have some time to do so but earlier is always better.

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  • [–] 1 point 4 months ago (2 children)

    Takes a whole month and involves giant needles but absolutely worth it. I had to do it at 3 years old and I still remember that shit like it was yesterday. I wonder if I'll carry immunity for life now or if I'll need to do it again if I come into contact with questionable animals?

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  • [–] 2 points 4 months ago (1 child)

    You'll need to do it again if you come into contact with questionable animals. Having a sufficiently recent rabies vaccine (and I expect you are well past that window) means you don't need the immunoglobin that non-vaccinated people get at the start of their rabies treatment for a head start on fighting the virus, but you do still need follow-up shots. Though I've heard the immunoglobin is usually the most unpleasant part of the process.

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