Can Rabies Be Transmitted Via A Dog Licking Mosquito Bite On Child?

Posted on Tue, 24 Oct 2017

Question: Hi,

I took my 13 month old daughter for a evening walk in her stroller and for a moment looked at my phone and in the split second, a 4 to 5 month old dog was sniffing at her foot.. i am just being paranoid if it had licked her feet.. i checked for open wounds or scratches didnt see anyhing but i can see a mosquito bite. Can the mosquito bite prick be considered as an open wound through which saliva can enter? Can a year old have a rabies post exposure vaccine ? How painful would it be? The dog seemed friendly.. can the dog be friendly while being rabid and transmit virus?

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You need not be concerned

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

I have gone through your query carefully and understand your concerns.

Let me assure you that you need not be concerned. The mosquito bite would not pose a threat. Since the dog has otherwise not bitten or scratched the child there is no reason to get concerned or to give a post-exposure vaccine. If given, it would be painful just like any other intramuscular injection (the ones your child has possibly received during scheduled vaccination).

However, if a vaccine is to be given, a regular pre-exposure vaccine would not serve the purpose and an anti-rabies antibody injection would have to be given (after exposure).

Rabies can spread from affected individuals and not the unaffected ones. The affected ones are not likely to be fully 'normal' (and friendly) but you never know. However, going by the scenario, the concern seems unlikely.

Let me know if I could help further.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (9 minutes later)

So the mosquito prick is not considered as open skin right? And is the rabies antibody injection enough or the post exposure course should also be administered..

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Not an open wound

Detailed Answer:
Welcome back,

A mosquito bite would not be considered as an open wound.

If vaccination indeed needs to be given (I doubt though) rabies antibody injection would need to be given in addition to the post-exposure vaccination.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (47 hours later)

Hi again,
I took her to doc and the doc adviced for a 4 day course of rabies vaccine.. it is the 2nd day after exposure.. is it too late? Will it have an effect on the immunisation? Doc didnt prescribe rabies immunoglobin? Should i insist her for that? Can a person acquire rabies if he/she misses the scheduled vaccination date.. her pediatrician prescribed shots on 0, 3, 7 and 14th day..

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (5 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Outcomes will remain unaltered irrespective of vaccination.

Detailed Answer:
You need to be practical. If the dog was rabid and rabies has entered the blood stream of your child, the disease is already in progress (in the two days that have elapsed). The other option is that the dog was not rabid and the child is uninfected. In either of these scenarios the immunization does not matter. It is not for prevention of the illness but for your mental satisfaction.

Pardon me for stating the facts bluntly.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (36 minutes later)

You mean that if the virus had entered bloodstream then the vaccine is of no effect? Then y do some doctors ask to monitor the dog for 10 days n to start treatment if it dies? Sorry for posting repeated questions coz wen i rang the doc yest, she was unbothered n asked me to come the other day for vaccine.. if it had to be done immediately she should ask me to go ro emergency right.. and wen i repeatedly asked her if the 2 days delay is ok she said it wont be a problem..

Isnt the rabies vaccine before the onset of symptoms will work? how long will the birus take to enter the bloodstream in a non bite dog exposure ( child touching the saliva and rubbing eyes or mouth).

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Go for the vaccine

Detailed Answer:
I understand your apprehension. Rabies is a lethal disease. In such a case, if one gets rabies, one is bound to die. If the dog is rabid, the dog will die as well and such a thing usually happens in not more than 10 days. In humans, symptoms usually develop after 3 - 8 weeks (incubation period). In some cases, symptoms have appeared as early as 9 days and as long as 7 years after exposure. There is practically no 'treatment' of rabies. All we can do is to act before the disease sets in. A symptom free period does could still occur when the person is in the incubation period of rabies.

In case of non-bite exposure, if the skin is 'open' (not the case in your child), the time taken to enter the blood stream would be the same as that in case of a bite. The virus would either enter the blood stream or not at all. In case of a bruise (your child does not have a bruise as well) the skin is still intact and therefore the virus will not enter at all.

I think that you should go for the vaccine. You are already panicking. I understand your apprehension but not going for the vaccine will make it seem to you that you are risking your child. You should not do it.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (15 hours later)

Thanku you so much doctor.. you eased my mind.. i got her the vaccine and she is running mild fever.. will it get worse with the second doe?

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
No need to worry

Detailed Answer:
Often children get mild fever after vaccines. This is not concerning. It should subside in a day or two. Unlikely to become worse.

Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad