ANIMAL BITES AND THE RISK OF RABIES
March/April 2011 ISSN-1059-6518 Volume 24 Number 2
By Frank Hubbell, DO
Animal Bites and the Risk of Rabies
You are leading an ecotourism trip in rural Central America. As your group is walking down a narrow dirt road leading to a mountain village, a dog comes out of a local farmhouse with his tale wagging, appearing quite friendly. Your co-leader leans over to greet the dog and is promptly bitten in the face. She has several puncture wounds on the left side of her face, which are relatively minor, and the bleeding it easily controlled. The question becomes: what are the risks of rabies and should you be concerned? The answer is a definite, YES!
