Applying povidone-iodine is also helpful. Cleansing the wound does not eliminate the need for post-exposure treatment. Evaluation of Risk Because many countries lack standardized laboratory procedures or materials, testing of the animal to determine need for treatment, if even possible, may not produce accurate results. Observation of the animal for ten days is effective for only dogs, cats, and ferrets. The safe observation period for all other animals is unknown.
Bats frequently carry rabies and their bite can go undetected because of their needle like teeth.
Finding a bat in the room with a sleeping or impaired individual or a young child would indicate that an exposure might have occurred and treatment is recommended. There are several types of rabies vaccine used around the world and their effectiveness and safety vary. In many locations the traveler may only be offered nerve tissue derived vaccine. Nerve tissue derived vaccine is not as effective and has a high risk of side effects. When nerve tissue derived vaccine is the vaccine available, the traveler should react as if rabies vaccine is not available and make plans to travel to a location that has tissue culture derived vaccine.