Management of Rabid Bandicoot Rat Bite or Scratch

Immediate Wound Management

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends thoroughly washing and flushing the wound with soap and copious amounts of water for at least 15 minutes to reduce rabies transmission risk 3

The World Health Organization recommends administering both human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and rabies vaccine simultaneously on day 0 at different anatomical sites for previously unvaccinated persons 3
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a dose of 20 IU/kg body weight of HRIG, infiltrating the full dose around and into the wound if anatomically feasible, with any remaining volume injected intramuscularly at a distant site from the vaccine 3
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a 5-dose series of rabies vaccine over 28 days: days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28, and advises not to delay prophylaxis waiting for animal testing results 1, 2, 3

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that wild mammals that bite or otherwise expose persons should be considered for euthanasia and rabies examination, and that immediate prophylaxis is mandatory if the animal is confirmed or suspected to be rabid 1, 2, 4, 5

The World Health Organization recommends assessing tetanus immunization status and administering a booster if indicated, and considering antibiotic prophylaxis, particularly if presentation is delayed >8-12 hours 3
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends reporting the incident immediately to the local health department 1, 2, 4

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends never delaying rabies prophylaxis waiting for animal testing if the animal is confirmed rabid, high-risk, or unavailable, and never administering HRIG after day 7 of the vaccine series 3