Rabies more lethal than cobra venom:Vaccine and RIG fail to save 6-year-old; infection leaves virtually no chance of survival

Even if a cobra bites, there is still hope for a person to survive, but if someone contracts rabies from a dog bite, their death is 100% certain. This is according to renowned pediatrician Dr. Umesh Pandwar. In fact, this is a bitter truth that people often overlook. The anti-rabies injection (ARV) given after a dog bite gives us a sense of security, but this feeling often proves to be false. A little carelessness, lack of information, or a small lapse in treatment can take anyone’s life. Recent news from Datia, Gwalior, and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh has made this danger even clearer. In these cases, the victims were not only given anti-rabies vaccine, but in some cases, immunoglobulin (RIG) was also administered, yet they lost the battle for life. Why is this happening? Why are vaccines, considered life-saving, proving ineffective? To find answers to these questions, Bhaskar spoke to experts and investigated cases where death occurred even after treatment. Read the report Incident: On January 13, 6-year-old innocent Hans Prajapati was playing outside his house in the Sapa Pahad area of Datia. Suddenly, a stray dog launched a deadly attack on him. The dog severely mauled the child’s head, hands, and neck. There was blood everywhere. A neighboring woman ran and saved the child. His family immediately took him to the district hospital. Treatment: Understanding the seriousness of the case, doctors immediately started treatment. Hans was given the anti-rabies vaccine (ARV), a tetanus injection, and most importantly, rabies immunoglobulin (RIG). According to the scheduled plan, the second and third doses of the vaccine were also given on January 16 and 20. The final dose was due on February 10. The family thought the danger had passed. Death: On the evening of February 6, 24 days after the dog bite, Hans started showing symptoms of rabies. He developed a severe headache, started drooling continuously, and his condition rapidly deteriorated. Panicked family members took him back to the district hospital, from where he was referred to Gwalior and then to Jhansi. By then, it was too late. The virus had already reached his brain. Hans passed away during treatment on the night of Sunday, February 8. According to doctors, due to deep wounds on his head and neck, the virus reached his brain very rapidly, and even RIG failed to stop it. Incident: On June 16, 14-year-old Rajesh Nat had come to his aunt’s house in Narendra Nagar, Rewa. While playing outside the house, a stray dog attacked him on the neck. His family immediately took him to the district hospital. Treatment: Doctors gave him anti-rabies injections. The family thought that the child was now safe. Death: Within a few days, Rajesh’s behavior started showing strange changes. He became irritable and developed a fear of water. His condition continuously worsened. He was admitted to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa, where he died on July 10, approximately 24 days after the bite. Before his death, he was suffering terribly due to rabies. Incident: In September 2025, Sudhir Pandey, a resident of Bada village in Gudh area of Rewa district, was bitten by a stray dog. This dog was infected with rabies and had also bitten 7-8 other people in the village. Sudhir was bitten by the dog near his neck, and the wound was quite deep. Treatment: The family, without negligence, got 4 rabies injections administered at a nearby private hospital. Death: For 25 days, everything seemed normal, but suddenly Sudhir’s condition began to deteriorate. He was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Rewa, where he died during treatment. Investigation revealed that despite the wound being deep and in the “high-risk” category, he was not administered Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG). Additionally, the wound was not cleaned properly and in a timely manner. 36 Percent Deaths Due to Rabies Every Year in India
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 59,000 people die from rabies every year worldwide. It is surprising to know that more than 36% of these, i.e., about 20,000 deaths, occur in India alone. Every year in India, approximately 20 million dog bite cases are reported, of which 40% of the victims are children under 15 years of age. Another major problem is that more than 20% of dog bite victims do not receive any Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV). Among those who start treatment, almost half do not complete the full course of vaccination, which multiplies the risk of death. 1. Negligence in wound cleaning: The first and biggest mistake
Dr. Pandwar and Dr. Gupta both emphasize that the first and most important step after a dog bite is “immediate and proper cleaning of the wound.” Dr. Pandwar says, “First of all, for a dog bite, no matter how small the wound, it should be thoroughly washed with soap under running water for at least 15 minutes. This process can eliminate the virus locally by up to 99%. After this, apply Betadine or any other antiseptic and immediately take the patient to the hospital.” 2. Importance of the bite location: Head and neck are most dangerous The rabies virus travels towards the brain through nerves. Therefore, the closer the bite location is to the brain, the greater the danger. Dr. Gupta explains, “Bites on the head, face, neck, and fingers are considered most dangerous because the density of nerves is higher there and the distance to the brain is shorter. In such cases, the virus takes very little time to reach the brain, and the vaccine does not get a chance to show its effect.” In all three case studies, the bite location was near the neck or head. 3. Neglect of lifesaving RIG Dog bites are divided into three categories based on severity: Category 1: Dog merely touching or licking (no wound on the skin). There is no risk in this; just washing the area is enough. Category 2: Minor scratches or teeth marks without bleeding. Getting the Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) is mandatory in this case. Category 3: One or more deep wounds, bleeding, or tearing of flesh. This is the most dangerous situation. According to Dr. Pandwar, “In Category-3 cases, administering Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) along with the vaccine is mandatory and life-saving.” 4. Delay in treatment or incomplete course
The average incubation period for rabies (time from infection to symptom appearance) is approximately 3 months, but it can range from 1 month to 1 year. People often become negligent after getting the first injection and do not get the remaining doses on time. This incomplete protection can be fatal. 5. Break in the vaccine’s cold chain
Dr. Gupta highlights another important aspect: it is mandatory to store the rabies vaccine at a temperature of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. This is called the ‘cold chain’. If, for any reason, such as power outage, faulty refrigerator, or negligence during transportation, the vaccine is not stored at this temperature, it becomes ineffective. Dog birth control and vaccination is the only solution
Dr. Brajesh Gupta believes that the permanent solution to this problem is not just in treating humans, but in controlling the dog population and making them rabies-free. “To stop the population of street dogs, attention must be paid to their birth control (sterilization). The government is running centers for this, but social participation is also needed. People should get their society’s and area’s dogs vaccinated. One vaccine protects a dog from rabies for 3 years.”