In a shocking incident, an 8-year-old-boy boy died in Mumbai due to rabies but had no history of a dog bite. The doctors now suspect that the rabies virus was transferred to the boy after a stray dog licked or scratched him.
According to the Indian Express, the boy, a resident of Malad, died in Kasturba Hospital on July 17, a day after admission. Dr Santosh Revankar, joint executive health officer, BMC told the leading, “It is extremely rare for rabies to spread through licking or scratching. But it is possible that soft tissue of the minor came in contact with the virus or an open wound on the boy was licked by the infected dog and the virus spread.”
Rabies is a viral infection, caused by the bite of a jackal, bat, dog, cat, horse or even a buffalo or bull, which leads to inflammation of the brain. The common symptom of Rabies is Hydrophobia (fear of water. The boy's medical records show that on April 24, the boy was scratched by a dog and a few days later he was licked by a dog. A doctor, privy to the case, told the leading daily, that the unsuspecting father got the boy tetanus shot administered but missed rabies vaccination. On July 14, three months later, the first symptoms surfaced, the boy became irritable and lost appetite. Later when the boy developed hydrophobia, rabies was confirmed. He was rushed to Kasturba hospital on July 16, but he died a day later.
