ABOUT

Thought to be the inspiration behind legends like the vampire and the werewolf, the rabies virus poses a serious risk for travellers around the world. In the second episode of Travel Unravelled, hosts Dr. Anne McCarthy and Dr. Albie de Frey sink their teeth into all things rabies with podcast director Dr. Aisha Khatib.

Discover the insidious nature of rabies, why it's considered one of the most fatal diseases in existence, how you can protect yourself before travelling to rabies-prone regions — and what to do if you get exposed to the virus from an animal bite. Featuring interviews with such rabies experts as the deputy director of South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Dr. Lucille Blumberg, and the medical director of Belgium’s Institute of Tropical Medicine, Dr. Patrick Soentjens, our second episode chronicles the evolution of rabies prevention recommendations, from vaccine developer Louis Pasteur to the state of the art today.

Travel Unravelled is sponsored by IAMAT, the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers.

To download the video episode for presentation in your travel clinic or office, click here. 

LINKS

• Travel Unravelled is sponsored by IAMAT, the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers.
• Learn more about the upcoming CISTM19 in New Orleans this May 2025.
• Planning a trip? Consult with this CDC Rabies Assessment to see the risk level of your destination.
• See CDC’s 2024 Rabies Yellow Book
• Read the WHO Guide for Rabies Pre and Post Exposure Prophylaxis in Humans, which guest Dr. Patrick Soentjens helped to develop.
• Learn more about the fascinating ancient history of rabies in this Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease article.
• Read Dr. Lucille Blumberg’s bio.
• Read Dr. Patrick Soentjens’s bio.
• See the travel medicine website and app that Dr. Patrick Soentjens mentions, Wanda.be.

CLINICAL PEARL

• Read the article that Dr. Olivier Aoun discussed in this episode’s pearl:
• Multi-drug resistant gluteal abscesses due to Mycobacterium abscessus following medical tourism for cosmetic purposes to Mexico in the Journal of Travel Medicine

KEY MOMENTS

00:00 Introduction

01:20 CISTM19 in New Orleans

01:46 Dr. Khatib’s “favourite” virus

03:09 Episode rundown and guests

04:19 Journal of Travel Medicine Clinical Pearl #2 with Dr. Olivier Aoun

07:48 The history of rabies

08:45 Rabies in pop culture and movies

10:05 A rabies exposure vs a rabies diagnosis

11:04 What’s RIG?

13:03 A 100% fatality rate

14:19 Meet Dr. Lucille Blumberg

15:28 Some people are at higher risk than others.

19:37 RIG is almost impossible to find in most parts of Africa

20:37 Kids are at a higher risk of being exposed to rabies

21:33 How does rabies present in humans?

24:58 Categories of exposure

28:22 Why rabies can take years to spread to the brain

29:15 How to decrease your risk of being bitten

30:04 Meet Dr. Patrick Soentjens

31:20 The important change to the WHO rabies vaccination recommendations

33:47 If it is rabies, what to do next

38:35 Louis Pasteur and the invention of the rabies vaccine

42:34 As we work to protect and save the planet, rabies should be top-of-mind

42:55 Vaccinate your pets!

43:12 The price of rabies vaccination

44:00 Top tips for travellers

46:15 Does your travel insurance cover rabies?

53:18 A rabies diagnosis is fatal but preventable

56:15 Resources, helpful websites and Travel Unravelled socials

Travel Unravelled is produced by Ghost Bureau.