[Rabies is a risk for travelling children]

Abstract

Rabies remains a dreadful disease which kills about 50,000 people per year, mostly in Asia, Africa, South America and Central Europe. Between 30% an 50% of the victims are young children. Modern rabies vaccines are safe and immunogenic. Therefore parents must be informed on the risk of rabies, and pre-exposure vaccination must be performed for children traveling often or for periods longer than one month in canine enzootic countries. Post-exposure treatment must be initiated without delay with modern vaccines wherever available, according to approved schedules. Pre-exposure vaccination is particularly useful in remote places where modern vaccines and immunoglobulins are not readily available.