DURBAN – SEVEN cases of human rabies have been laboratory-confirmed in South Africa since August 23.
The cases are from Limpopo, 3, KwaZulu-Natal, 2 and the Eastern Cape, 2.
Three probable cases of human rabies were identified in KZN.
That was according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in its August Communicable Diseases Communiqué.
One of the three cases of probable rabies was reported in a 40-year-old man from Empangeni, King Cetshwayo District, in KZN.
He sustained an unprovoked attack by a stray dog in mid-June, suffering multiple bites to his face, left forearm, and palms of his hands.
The next day, he received post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) at a local hospital, which included wound washing, rabies immunoglobulin (RIG), and rabies and tetanus vaccinations.
Five weeks later, he developed fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, agitation, restlessness, confusion, hallucinations, tachycardia, hypothermia, sweating, hyper-salivation, symptoms in keeping with rabies disease.
He later died in hospital on July 25, several days after his illness began.
The NICD said a single before death saliva sample collected tested negative for rabies, which is insufficient to exclude the diagnosis of rabies.
No further samples were available for laboratory investigation.
The NICD said the most recent case was that of a five-year-old girl from East London, Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
The child was attacked by a dog on July 9, sustaining facial wounds and was purportedly given PEP but was then lost to follow-up.
It is unclear whether the PEP included RIG.
She experienced fever, muscle spasms, anorexia, confusion, sleeplessness, and hyper-salivation two weeks later and died on July 28 in hospital.
On August 2, rabies was confirmed in a brain sample from the deceased child using a direct immunofluorescent assay test.
World Rabies Day is celebrated on September 28 every year which brings attention to the prevention and control of rabies around the world.
Daily News