Gah. Poor kid. Poor family, indeed. I hope they're trying some of the measures used for Jeanna Giese.
(As an aside, The number of 10 people hits me as odd, since there have been 47 cases of human rabies in the US since 1990, but I suppose those 8 years could have had the bulk of the damage. In any case, it is amazing, given that something like 55,000 people die of rabies every year worldwide.)
Rabies is an awful way to die. I feel terrible for the victim and family - and I'm glad to hear that the incidence of this sort of thing has become so rare.
We were lucky- we captured the bat and sent it into the lab for testing. Although I felt guilty knowing its fate, it was better than putting my 90 year old mother in law and 6 year old son through a rabies series, although it's MUCH less distressing than it was say, even 10 years ago.
The parents should have gotten the kid post-exposure prophylaxis immediately, even if they didn't see a bite. That's just irreponsible. It's not a gamble you want to take, as this poor kid's case illustrates.
I recall that but the thing is you weren't silly to get them. And it's scary to think so many people are so cavalier about the possibility of a nearly uniformly fatal disease. Even the girl who did survive (Jenna Giese) will never be the same, due to neurological damage, though she'll be able to live a long and happy life. So you were smart. Because you just don't know with bats, since their teeth are so tiny.
To have a bat anywhere near a human in a house would seem to me to be quite unusual and worthy of making sure the animal wasn't just tossed out the window. Anyone, like me, who lives near free roaming wild animals, feral cats, etc. knows to be very leary of bites from anything, even domesticated animals. The unusual situation in and of itself should have been enough for them to get the shots for him. I hope he manages to make it. How awful and yes, Peg, I am glad you bit the bullet and took the shots.
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Most unfortunate
Date: 2006-05-11 07:30 pm (UTC)The stats on people who have died from rabies since 1998 being only 10 people in the whole country is really pretty amazing though if you ask me.
Re: Most unfortunate
Date: 2006-05-11 07:51 pm (UTC)(As an aside, The number of 10 people hits me as odd, since there have been 47 cases of human rabies in the US since 1990, but I suppose those 8 years could have had the bulk of the damage. In any case, it is amazing, given that something like 55,000 people die of rabies every year worldwide.)
Re: Most unfortunate
Date: 2006-05-12 12:30 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-11 08:06 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-11 09:26 pm (UTC)There is, however, one case of a young lady surviving rabies.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,139500,00.html
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Date: 2006-05-11 10:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-12 06:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-12 11:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-12 06:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-12 07:03 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-13 05:10 pm (UTC)I knew rabies was serious, but I don't think I knew the fatality rate was near-total.