Rabies, how serious is this in real life on Bali?

[gilbert de jong]

Kolere...

hai Miso, nice string you started.
just be careful around animals (not only dogs). If you get bitten/scratched (dunno bout licked), just get the rabies-shots at the hospital..If you have trouble locating a hospital who has it on stock, let me know and I will get some for you... btw, those shots hurt like hell and it's not just one time :lol: .
No sense making comparisons, it (whatever) either happens or it doesn't.. and trust me there have been deaths on Bali because of rabies, so better be safe then sorry, but don't let it scare you away from Bali !
take care and friendly greetings....gilbert.

 

[gilbert de jong]

http://www.balipost.co.id/mediadetail.p ... 4&id=23897

 

[JohnnyCool]

With all due respect, bambang
Are you having a bad hair day or are you like this all of the time?

I'm here now just killing some time, so to speak. You keep coming back at me, not unlike a rabid dog. Where do you live? Have you already had anti-rabies vaccine?

The safest mode of transport, statistically, is flying. That's all well and good, but if you're on the rare plane that crashes, I'm sure neither you nor your loved-ones would be very impressed. How many people starve to death every day of the week, get killed in traffic accidents, die of food poisoning, believe what they watch on TV/Internet, get sold into slavery? The list is a very long one, I'm sure you'll agree.

To make another comparison - you have more chance of being murdered than dying of rabies. Tourists have been murdered in the recent past in their beds, outside bars, on the beach. The thought of being murdered hasn't stopped the millions of tourists visiting every year. It's not something I have ever worried about.

You mean "ever" or "never"?

It's obvious to me that you're a passionate human being. It's also obvious to me that "talking" to you this way is somewhat specious, at best, and I leave the rest up to what's left of your imagination. Mate, you brought this on! You can "walk the walk", "talk the talk", all you like but, if you're really not well, seek help.

Back to the business of rabies.

What are the signs and symptoms of rabies?

The rabies virus travels through the nervous system, eventually inflaming the brain. Early symptoms include irritability, headache, fever, and sometimes itching or pain at the site of the bite. The disease eventually progresses to paralysis, spasms of the throat muscles, convulsions, and delirium. Without preventive treatment, it is fatal.

How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?

The time between exposure and symptoms is usually 2 to 12 weeks, but it can be much less or much longer.

Once symptoms appear

After rabies symptoms appear, the disease progresses quickly, and there is no cure. It is important to get medical care before symptoms occur so that there is less chance of serious damage from the rabies virus.

Most of my "quotes" above are from reputable medical sources, not from anonymous posters on wacky websites.

* Be careful around dogs, cats and bats on Bali
* There is no need to panic
* If you're sick for any reason, get help soon, if you can
* If you don't already have a meaningful life, find one quick

8)

 

[gilbert de jong]

@JC...
I am wondering and too lazy to look it up right now, so maybe you know....how about monkeys, can they be a carrier of rabies?
thanks..

 

[mimpimanis]

Yes they can. So visitors to Uluwatu and the monkey forests should take care.

 

[aquaman]

@JC...
I am wondering and too lazy to look it up right now, so maybe you know....how about monkeys, can they be a carrier of rabies?
thanks..

You betcha! nasty little fur balls they are :lol:

 

[udayana]

LOL

 

[gilbert de jong]

aha...okidoki, see I thought i remembered something like that from a National Geographic doc. but wasn't sure.
Thanks for clearing that up aqua and mimpi..

btw, I'll take a dogbite anyday over a bite from a monkey....have you seen them 'fangs' on those little monkeys?

 

[JohnnyCool]

I can't prove this right now, or I could if I wanted to or had enough energy.
udayana is bambang in disguise.

Whatever.

At least 15 people in Bali have died from rabies.
More to come.

"Udayana", who just signed up today in this forum is a reflection of "Bambang".

It's actually a common practice on the internet. There are many websites out there pretending to give you unbiased reviews about "free" antivirus, "free" webhosting, all kinds of "free" shit. Some of it is really OK. But a lot isn't. Don't believe everything you read on the internet.

I think that "Bambang" has created a new account for himself on this forum calling himself "Udayana". What for or why, you may well ask? Maybe to agree with himself. If I'm wrong, I apologise.

Some of us have many "identities" on the internet. Me, too.

I draw the line at "answering myself". I'm not that crazy, yet.
How about yourself?

:?:

 

[noodles]

Did you know that our great grandfather had rabies? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[bambang]

Your original statement that there is no cure and your follow up statement that if you "get" rabies you will die are both flat out wrong.

Perhaps if you hadn't put yourself out on a limb by posting a one sided drama queen opinion in the first place you wouldn't be so upset now at having been corrected. Personal attacks about me having rabies, having a bad hair day or that I should p*ss off really aren't necessary.

Rabies is not a serious problem for tourists in Bali relatively speaking. By all means take precautions but don't lose any sleep over it.

Who are you? I lose track. Are you Philip, Sanurian or JohnnyCool?

 

[MiSO]

s-o-r-r-y-i-s-t-a-r-t-e-d-t-h-i-s-t-o-p-i-c... :roll:

 

[gilbert de jong]

don't be sorry MiSO...it's a good question, you're planning on coming to Bali and would like to know if the rabies thing is something to be scared about...well you got alot of answers and then some :lol: .
so dont be scared just be aware :wink: .
btw...gromgrom, am I monster? or bzzzzz,bzzzz am I a moskito :lol: :lol: .
take care, Gilbert.

 

[aquaman]

..... btw...gromgrom, am I monster? or bzzzzz,bzzzz am I a moskito :lol: :lol: .
take care, Gilbert.

i said skunk would catch up wiv u gilbert? :lol:

oh and you're right about the choppers on monkeys ...plain nasty.. you know baboons will often chase off lions (not in bali of course)

sorry off topic i know

 

[tintin]

Bambang,

This topic has already been discussed ad nauseam on this forum, when the first few cases appeared in Bukit several months ago. So, it is rather troubling to read that, even on a non-medical forum, somewhat erroneous, and obviously dangerous, information regarding rabies treatment is still being circulated.

Following an animal bite where the animal is suspected of being a carrier, one should seek medical attention immediately. Unless, I misread your comment, bambang, one does not have the luxury of waiting several weeks.

there is a treatment for rabies which is 100% effective if administered within the first couple of weeks of exposure. Exposure is usually by dog bite so any bite should be treated.

To be precise, and this is of the utmost importance in this case, one should start the treatment of five shots within THREE days after being bitten. The wound should be cleaned up also immediately, but by itself, it will not prevent one from catching the disease, just help the subsequent treatment.

Gilbert,

Be reassured that these shots are not the same as the original shots (very painful, in the stomach) invented by Louis Pasteur. Nowadays, there is a somewhat "new" type of shots. The first shot, actually consists of one shot administered near/ in the wound (with a small hypodermic needle) and another one in the butt. After that, the following four single shots are administered in the shoulder and not painful at all. How do I know this? In 2007, I underwent the treatment, after having been beaten by a wild cat I was trying to slowly bring into my household.

I continued meeting the cat, twice a day, for its breakfast and dinner, after being beaten. After 12 days, since the cat was still alive, we stopped the treatment: obviously, the cat was not rabid.

Since that time, Mimi has been part of our household.

 

[ryoshi]

While I wouldn't cancel my trip because of the rabies outbreak, it is still a very serious health issue affecting Bali. While no foreigners have died yet, perhaps it will just be a matter of time before someone does and then it is surely going to have an affect on tourism.

From what I have read on how people die from the disease, it doesn't like a very pleasant way to go. At least on this issue, I think the media is doing a good job at reporting the problem, and it seems like the government has been very slow to act. I think I read in the Bali Times that the Indonesian health minister didn't even know about the problem :|

 

[gilbert de jong]

@tintin,
glad to hear there are new kinda shots...I got them old-style (in the stomach), got bitten by a 'dirty' dog in Kosovo back in '92 so I know how it feels, better said hurts .

getting bitten is one thing, but also getting beaten by a cat :wink: , just joking tintin..
I admire your persistance, most people would give up on a cat like that, you're 8) . thanks for the pic.

@ aquaman...
yeah the 'gromgrom-bzzzz,bzzzz' is linked to another thread with MiSO, but can see why you thought I got 'skunked' :lol: ,
off-topic..but funny man... never seen it, but have read about it..monkeys are badasses.

 

[tintin]

ryoshi,

Maybe we should consider carrying our own anti-rabies shot when going to Bali? :lol:

Still, on second thought, Rp188,000 is a bargain, compared to the bill sent to my health insurance provider by the Boston hospital: US$5,580.04, for the first two shots (!?) Pl. note also how precise the cost of these two injections had been calculated by the hospital bureaucrats, down to the penny… :shock:

Save Your Life, Pay First
Buleleng Health Authorities Caught Selling Rabies Vaccines When the Rules Say alll Rabies Vaccines Distributed in Bali are Free-of Charge. from Bali Discovery Tours, http://www.balidiscovery.com

(11/21/2009) Bali's worsening rabies epidemic was scandalized further last week when it was discovered that both the human vaccine and canine inoculations that are supposed to be provided free-of-charge by the government were in fact being sold in the north Bali regency of Buleleng.

The confirmation that human vaccine was being sold for Rp. 188,000 (US$18.80) and canine rabies inoculations for Rp. 3,000 (US0.30) in Buleleng has so angered local parliamentarians that lawmaker have threatened to turn the matter over to the police.

The head of Animal husbandry in Buleleng, Putu Ardika, denied that canine inoculations were being sold, claiming the Rp.3,000 fee was being used to purchase snacks for those providing the shots.

According to NusaBali dogs without owners to pay the "snack" fees are being eliminated.

Meanwhile, people reporting to the Buleleng General Hospital with dog bite victim were being told to purchase "out-of-stock" vaccine from the local drug store for Rp. 188,000.

The Head of the Bali Health service, Nyoman Suteja, has ordered an immediate end to the practice and that any money paid for human vaccine be refunded immediately.

The public relations spokesperson for the Governor's office in Bali confirmed that Governor Made Mangku Pastika was alarmed to hear reports of vaccine being sold and ordered health officials to immediately investigate the reports and set matters right immediately.

Now any scheme by the Ngurah Rai's porters pales by comparison to this!

 

[MiSO]

don't be sorry MiSO...it's a good question, you're planning on coming to Bali and would like to know if the rabies thing is something to be scared about...well you got alot of answers and then some :lol: .
so dont be scared just be aware :wink: .
btw...gromgrom, am I monster? or bzzzzz,bzzzz am I a moskito :lol: :lol: .
take care, Gilbert.

Haha.. Monster or Moskito, you are an animal, that's for sure :twisted:

Tintin, wanna be my consultant? ;-)

I have been looking forward to live on Bali, and I can't come up with an alternative so quickly, so I guess I'll be kissing Bali's holy ground this weekend.
Still, I can feel my heart in my throat when I think of the consequences of a rabied bite...
(I just saw a huge cockroach in the house...boink boink boink... )

 

[bambang]

To be precise, and this is of the utmost importance in this case, one should start the treatment of five shots within THREE days after being bitten.

I am not offering advice about how rabies should be treated. If I misread your statement as you misread mine I would say why wait three days? If I was scratched or bitten by a dog, cat, monkey, donkey, bat, person or any other warm-blooded animal in Bali I would seek treatment immediately.

Bali has 24 hour medical centres. Another reason not to worry.