The Travel Doctor
Traveller's medical & vaccination centre
Health Alerts
Travel Doctor TMVC provides the latest health and travel alerts, including updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
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Bali rabies update
Sunday, 13 September, 2009
Until November last year Bali was regarded as free from rabies but since then confirmed cases have occurred with the latest, as yet unconfirmed, case being reported from a village in Tabanan. . Three of the islands eight regencies Badung, Denpasar and now Tabanan, all adjacent, must now be considered confirmed or probable rabies epidemic areas.
Vaccinations against rabies are available at Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics, although are not generally recommended for short-term holiday stays.
Any animal bite or possible rabies exposure should be managed appropriately with post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), which consists of the administration of rabies vaccines on days 0,3,7,14,28 and the use of rabies immunoglobulin in those people who are not previously immunised, and only 2 booster does of vaccine in those who are already vaccinated.
Travellers who experience an animal bite on the island of Bali, should wash the wound immediately and report the bite to medical services for PEP usually, but not always, available on the island. In Australia, those bitten travellers should attend their closest Travel Doctor-TMVC clinic.
