Publication: Rabies exposure risk among foreign backpackers in Southeast Asia
Issued Date
2010-06-01
Resource Type
ISSN
00029637
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-77953794374
Rights
Mahidol University
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.82, No.6 (2010), 1168-1171
Suggested Citation
Watcharapong Piyaphanee, Prapimporn Shantavasinkul, Weerapong Phumratanaprapin, Piyada Udomchaisakul, Pongdej Wichianprasat, Maneerat Benjavongkulchai, Thitiya Ponam, Terapong Tantawichian Rabies exposure risk among foreign backpackers in Southeast Asia. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Vol.82, No.6 (2010), 1168-1171. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0699 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/29228
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Authors
Journal Issue
Thesis
Title
Rabies exposure risk among foreign backpackers in Southeast Asia
Abstract
Rabies remains a problem in Southeast Asia where large numbers of backpackers visit each year. During May-June 2008, a survey study was conducted of foreign backpackers in Bangkok, Thailand to assess their risk of rabies exposure. Eight hundred seventy (870) questionnaires were collected and analyzed. The median age of the backpackers was 25.5 years. Most of them were European (68.4%), followed by North American (13.2%). Although 80.7% had sought health information before traveling, only 55.6% had received information about rabies. Only 18.1% had completed pre-exposure rabies vaccination (3 shots) before travel, whereas 70.9% had not been vaccinated for rabies at all. In this study, the incidence of being licked was 3.56%, and of being bitten 0.69%, on average stays of 30.06 days in Southeast Asia. More than a half (54%) of exposures occurred in the first 10 days after arrival in Southeast Asia. Copyright © 2010 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.