Animal bite

Q: My maid has been bitten by a house-mouse. Does she need a rabies shot or would a tetanus shot suffice?

A:* First clean the bite area with betadine solution thoroughly and preferably leave open - unless the wound is deep.* Tetanus toxoid should be given. If previous tetanus toxoid has been given, then a booster dose (single injection) would suffice. However, if no previous tetanus toxoid has been given (or it was given more than 10 years back), a course of 3 injections spaced a month apart, should be given to complete the immunisation.* Regarding rabies vaccine - transmission of rabies by house mouse is almost never described, though it has been for rats. However, to be absolutely safe, a course of rabies vaccine - either the human diploid cell vaccine or the purified chick-embryo cell vaccine (Rabipur) could be given. For effective immunisation, 6 injections of either would be required, 1ml each dose, given intramuscular, on days - 0, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 90.