Ask Cavers: Have You Had a Rabies Vaccination?
April 3, 2013
Bats exit New Mexico’s Carlsbad Caverns. Photo by Nick Hristov/NPS
Rabies is a viral disease carried by some mammals that is fatal to humans.
With less than one percent of wild bats presumed infected, and no known cases of cavers getting the disease, the likelihood of becoming infected, although possible, seems extremely rare.
Despite this, it appears a number of cavers have taken precautions against catching the disease. Have you?
For this week’s Ask Cavers question we are curious to find out if you have or have not had a rabies vaccination, and what led you to your decision.
Share your thoughts and comments in the discussion below.
Comments (10)
My doctor was unsure how to get the vaccine and my insurance wasn’t sure they would cover it, so no, I haven’t been vaccinated.
Yes, I have been vaccinated.
I took the rabies pre-exposure immunization in the very early 1970’s. It was after learning about the two social workers ( ” non cavers ” ) that died of rabies after being in a “bat cave” in the South and had no known bites or direct exposure other than being in such a cave. I had also participated in the blood testing in that same time period that showed “cavers” did not somehow magically acquire immunity by long term low (?) exposure. Thought rabies shots were a good idea — still do.
Yes, I’ve had the vaccine and now two boosters. I got it to be able to help with bat surveys where bats must be handled. My health insurance covered it, minus a deductible, as long as it was for volunteer work. If it had been for paid work, they required the employer to pay.
No need to on this side of the pond.
But I do recall some stuff going on back in the 70’s as a result of a SWCC? expedition to Ecuador.
I have not been vaccinated against rabies.
I think a bigger concern is histoplasmosis. It is a common ailment in many parts of the country, and cavers especially can be exposed.
From Wikipedia: Histoplasmosis (also known as “Cave disease,” “Darling’s disease,” “Ohio valley disease,” “Reticuloendotheliosis,” “Spelunker’s Lung” and Caver’s disease) is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. Symptoms of this infection vary greatly, but the disease primarily affects the lungs. Occasionally, other organs are affected; this is called disseminated histoplasmosis, and it can be fatal if left untreated.
I have, but it was post exposure prophylaxis after a cat bite, which counts.
My wife and I had the prophylactic rabies shots eight years ago. I was doing much more caving then, and my insurance paid for it. Otherwise I would have passed on it as it was pricey.
Yes. Initially in London in 1976 for caving in India and Nepal where we were also catching bats for the Natural Histoy Museum. That was a duck egg live vaccine. Again in 1988 for caving in Guizhou Province in SW China, and finally boosters for Meghalya in NE India in the early 1990s with a return trip this year.
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