The threat of rabies.

Journal article

Rabies encephalitis in man cannot be cured and so must be prevented. Rabies can be kept out of Britain by enforcing quarantine regulations and preventing the smuggling of pet animals. If rabies were reintroduced there would be a severe risk of the virus becoming established in wild foxes. The traditional methods of dealing with fox rabies should be critically reexamined. They have proved largely unsuccessful in Europe, they are indiscriminate and fail to take into account what is known about fox ecology. If rabies were to become endemic in Britain, the post exposure treatment of patients bitten by animals would become a major medical problem. Even if rabies can be kept out, a designated centre is needed for the treatment of imported rabies patients. This unit would be run by a staff fully protected against rabies by preexposure vaccination.

Authors: Warrell, D

• Journal: Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 171-180
• Publication date: 1977-01-01
• ISSN: 0035-8819
• Language: English
• Keywords: History, 15th Century; History, 18th Century; Great Britain; Humans; Animals; Child, Preschool; Rabies; Adolescent; Disease Outbreaks; History, 20th Century; Foxes; History, 19th Century; Dogs; Female; Infant; History, 17th Century; Child; History, Medieval; Europe; Disease Reservoirs; Male