Abstract
Background
After an animal-associated injury (AAI) in rabies-endemic regions, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed to prevent infection.1,3 PEP consist of rabies vaccinations (RV) and in some cases also additional rabies immune globulins (RIG). Not always PEP medication, and RIG in particular, is accessible. Along with an increased number of exposure notifications among Dutch travelers, this might lead to treatment delay, and thus to increased health risks. Until now, research mainly focused on factors associated with exposition, but none on which factors are associated with PEP delay. This study aimed to identify which general sample characteristics are associated with PEP delay while being abroad.
Methods
A quantitative retrospective observational study was conducted. The study population consisted of insured Dutch international travelers who actively contacted their medical assistance company (2015-2019) because of an animal-associated injury (AAI) (N = 691). The association between general sample characteristics and delay of different PEP treatments was studied using survival analysis.
Results
Travelers without PrEP had an increased hazard, and therefore a shorter delay, for receiving their first RV as compared to travelers with PrEP (HR:1.11, 95%CI:1.01-1.22). The travelers needing both RV and RIG had a decreased hazard, and therefore a longer delay, as compared to travelers only needing RV (HR:0.81, 95%CI:0.67-0.96). General sample characteristic associated with RIG administration delay was travel destination. Travelers to Central and South America, East Mediterranean and Europe had a decreased hazard, and therefore a longer delay, for receiving RIG treatments relative to travelers to South East Asia (HR:0.31, 95%CI:0.13-0.70; HR:0.34, 95%CI:0.19-0.61; HR:0.46, 95%CI:0.24-0.89; HR:0.48, 95%CI:0.12-0.81 respectively).
Conclusions
Our results suggest that the advice for PrEP should be given based travel destination, as these was found to be the main factor for PEP delay, among travelers going to rabies endemic countries.
