Rat Bite Does Not Cause Rabies

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Posted: Monday, September 19, 2011

by Dr K K Aggarwal
Heart Care Foundation of India

 

28th October is world rabies day: Rabies is transmitted through the bites, scratches, abrasions, or contact with animal saliva via mucous membranes or a break in the skin, said Padmashri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr  K K Aggarwal President heart Care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela.

 

Dog, cat and bats can transmit rabies. Raccoons, skunks, foxes and coyotes can also transmit rabies. Rabies has been reported in large rodents (woodchucks and beavers) but small rodents, such as squirrels, chipmunks, rats, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, mice, and lagomorphs (rabbits and hares) are almost never identified as infected with rabies virus; there has never been a case of transmission to a human from one of these animals. 

Padmashri & Dr. B.C. Roy National Awardee, Dr. KK Aggarwal is a Senior Consultant, Physician, Cardiologist at Delhi based Moolchand Medcity; President Heart Care Foundation of India; Chairman Ethical Committee Delhi Medical Council and has served as the Research and Academic Wing Heads of National Indian Medical Association.

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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)
» left by elle kynzer
 1 year 247 days ago.
41 fans. Follow elle kynzer on twitter!
Still don't want anything to do with rats...lol
» left by pawandeep singh from delhi 1 year 93 days ago.
sir,

i beg to differ, in thailand 1% of all rabies cases are reported to be from rat bites. rabies has been transmitted from rat bites in poland and israel.

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