Brief Report

A case of human survival of rabies, South Africa

Published in: Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 31 , issue 2 , 2016 , pages: 66–68

DOI: 10.1080/23120053.2016.1128151

Author(s): Jacqueline Weyer Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases and Division for Public Health Surveillance and Outbreak Response, South Africa , Veerle Msimang-Dermaux Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases and Division for Public Health Surveillance and Outbreak Response, South Africa , Janusz T Paweska Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases and Division for Public Health Surveillance and Outbreak Response, South Africa , Kevin le Roux Allerton Provincial Veterinary Laboratory, South Africa , Premi Govender Provincial Department of Health KwaZulu Natal, South Africa , Jessica Coertse Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, South Africa , Wanda Markotter Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, South Africa , Louis H Nel Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, South Africa , Lucille H Blumberg Centre for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases and Division for Public Health Surveillance and Outbreak Response, South Africa

Keywords: human rabies , rabies , rabies survival , South Africa

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Abstract

Human survival from rabies is exceptionally rare. We report a case of human survival (with severe neurological sequelae) in a child from South Africa. The patient was exposed to rabid dogs on two separate occasions and subjected to incomplete post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies.

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