Stray dog attacks are increasing nowadays, endangering the lives of people. Recently a young woman in Kolhapur, Maharashtra lost her life due to an infection with rabies, even after completing an anti-rabies course.
The deceased was identified as 21-year-old Srushti Shinde, who died at CPR hospital on March 11 while going through treatment.
Srushti Shinde was attacked by a dog on February 3, While she was on her way to Shaniwar Peth, she was stopped on the road to answer a phone call, at that time suddenly a stray dog attacked her and bit her left leg. Srushti immediately moved to the CPR hospital and received the treatment. She was also administered the anti-rabies vaccine.
She took all five doses of the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV) and for passive immunity, she had also completed an anti-rabies serum jab. Her family members have also been given the anti-rabies vaccine as a preventive step. Srushti received her final dose of the anti-rabies vaccine on Friday, March 8. However, she developed a fever on March 11 and lost strength in both legs. Shinde was admitted to a private hospital and doctors performed several tests but her condition deteriorated, so the doctors put her on a ventilator. The test results disclosed that Shinde was infected with rabies. Subsequently, she gushed to the CPR hospital, where she passed away at 2 am.
Even though she completed all five doses of the anti-rabies vaccine and anti-rabies serum jab, she passed away. Her death raises many questions about how she was infected with rabies even after finishing her vaccine course. Shinde’s family members raised a question about the storage condition of the vaccine and asked whether the vaccine was stowed at the necessary temperature.
As per the report in the TOI, the stray dog allegedly attacked 20 people including Shrushti Shinde on February 3 between KMC Chowk and Bhausingji Road. The AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) unit of Kolhapur, claimed that the dereliction of Civic Administration in the supervision of stray dogs in the city.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), rabies is a zoonotic, viral disease that affects the body's central nervous system. Rabies can affect both domestic and wild animals and it can be prevented by vaccination. The disease can spread to people and animals through saliva, generally through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa.
References:
1. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies#:~:text=Rabies%20is%20a%20vaccine%2Dpreventable%2C%20zoonotic%2C%20viral%20disease%20affecting,both%20domestic%20and%20wild%20animals
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)
