Home / Health / Rabies Shot Mix-Up Kills Gwalior Man
Rabies Shot Mix-Up Kills Gwalior Man
4 May
Summary
- A man died in Gwalior after receiving a tetanus shot instead of rabies vaccine.
- Rabies is virtually 100% fatal once symptoms appear.
- Tetanus vaccines do not protect against rabies, a distinct viral disease.
A preventable tragedy unfolded in Gwalior, India, where a 36-year-old man, Raju Kushwaha, succumbed to rabies. He had been bitten by a dog while feeding it and was treated at Jayarogya Hospital starting April 28. However, his family alleges he was administered a tetanus injection instead of the crucial anti-rabies vaccine.
Approximately 20 days after the bite, Kushwaha began exhibiting rabies symptoms, including hydrophobia. His condition deteriorated, leading to hospitalization and ultimately, his death from the viral disease. This marks the seventh rabies fatality in Gwalior within the past three to four months.
Rabies is a severe viral disease affecting the central nervous system, transmitted primarily through the saliva of infected mammals, usually via bites. The World Health Organization states that rabies is virtually 100% fatal once symptoms appear. In humans, dogs are responsible for over 99% of rabies transmissions.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for rabies involves immediate wound cleaning, often followed by rabies immunoglobulin and a series of vaccinations, typically on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28. A tetanus shot, conversely, targets a bacterial infection and offers no protection against the rabies virus. Medical experts emphasize that confusing the two can have deadly consequences, stressing the need for immediate rabies risk assessment after any animal bite.
