title: The cost of preventing rabies at any cost: post-exposure prophylaxis for occult bat contact.
abstract: Investigations conducted by public health in Quebec, Canada, following report of human exposure to a bat were reviewed to evaluate the implementation of the recommendation for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (RPEP) for household bat exposure (without documented direct contact). Of all RPEP recommended, 12% was for direct bat contact with bite, 7% for direct bat contact without known bite and 81% for household exposure. When bat was not available for testing, RPEP was almost always recommended. Household bat exposure has become the most frequent reason for RPEP administration. Given the rarity of rabies, RPEP recommendations related to household bat exposure may warrant review.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huot
authors.forename: Gaston
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Serres
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duval
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maranda-Aubut
authors.forename: Manale
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ouakki
authors.forename: Danuta M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Skowronski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002685:Chiroptera; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000191:economics*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011792:Quebec; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission*
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines