During an information session held at Alanya Training and Research Hospital to raise awareness of the risk of rabies, it was emphasised that contact between animal saliva and broken skin or mucous membranes could also lead to transmission of the virus. At a stand set up at the entrance to the outpatient clinic, members of the public and healthcare staff were briefed on protective measures and given leaflets.
Dr Sema Tekin Şahin, Chair of the Vaccination Committee and a specialist in infectious diseases, stated that bites and scratches from stray or unvaccinated animals pose a serious risk. Dr Şahin noted that transmission is not limited to bites alone; it can also occur through saliva coming into contact with broken skin or mucous membranes.
Shahin explained that rabies can be transmitted not only by cats and dogs but also by farm animals such as cattle, goats and horses; she also highlighted that wild animals such as jackals, foxes and wild boars pose a risk.
Stressing that anyone who has had suspected exposure should go to the nearest healthcare facility without delay, Şahin urged that the vaccination programme, which has already begun, should not be interrupted. The hospital’s Vaccination Unit provides uninterrupted service during working hours, whilst the A&E department does so outside working hours.
