British grandmother seriously ill with rabies was sent home THREE times by
her GP and AE department before she was diagnosed
- The woman, in her 50s, was bitten by a puppy while on holiday in India
with her husband
- She went to her GP once and the AE department of Darent Valley
Hospital twice over four days but was sent home each time
- Victim returned to her doctor last Friday and was sent to hospital
with suspected rabies
- A total of 20 people have now been vaccinated against the illness,
including six relatives of the woman, hospital medics and at least one
doctor
By SOPHIE
BORLANDhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=authornamef=Sophie+Borland
and ANTHONY
BONDhttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=authornamef=Anthony+Bond+
*PUBLISHED:* 20:23, 23 May 2012 | *UPDATED:* 08:43, 24 May 2012
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[image: Seriously ill: A British patient is fighting for their life in
hospital after being bitten by a rabid dog while on holiday in India (file
picture)]
Seriously ill: A British patient is fighting for their life in hospital
after being bitten by a rabid dog while on holiday in India (file picture)
A British grandmother who is seriously ill with rabies was sent home three
times by her GP and a hospital before her illness was diagnosed.
The victim, in her 50s, was bitten by a puppy while on holiday in India
with her husband.
She contracted the illness two months ago but only developed symptoms
within the last fortnight.
According to The Sun, the woman, who lives in London, went to her GP once
and the AE department of Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent, twice
over four days.
However, each time she was sent home.
The paper reports that it was only when she returned to her doctor last
Friday that she was sent to hospital and suspected to have rabies.
The victim, who is believed to be of Indian ethnic origin, is being treated
in an isolation room at University College Hospital, London.
Her husband was with her when she was bitten by the dog.
It is believed that 20 people have been vaccinated against the illness,
including six relatives of the woman, hospital medics and at least one
doctor.
It is the first case of rabies in England in almost seven years.
The last occurred in July 2005 when a woman from Manchester died after
contracting it from a dog bite during a holiday in the Indian resort of Goa.
Officials at the Health Protection Agency have stressed that there is no
risk the illness will have been passed on to the general public.
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Although the patient has had the virus in Britain for several weeks, it is
only since they became unwell that they risked passing it on.
In theory, the illness can be transmitted by kissing, sex and organ
transplants.
[image: Specialist treatment: The patient is in an isolation room at
University College Hospital, London (above) after developing symptoms
within the last fortnight]
Specialist treatment: The patient is in an isolation room at University
College Hospital, London (above) after developing symptoms within the last
fortnight
Doctors have warned that the chances of a rabies victim surviving are
extremely slim, as once symptoms develop it is nearly always fatal.
It is caused by a virus which spreads through the bloodstream to the brain
and spinal cord.
It can take between four days and 12 weeks to spread, so if patients are
vaccinated in time they can be treated.Early symptoms of rabies include
fever, insomnia, anxiety and sickness.
Dr Brian McCloskey, director of the Health Protection Agency for London,
said: ‘It is important to stress that there is no risk to the general
public as a result of this case or to patients and visitors at the hospital
where the patient is receiving treatment.
[image: Deadly: The grandmother's illness is the first case of rabies in
England in almost seven years. The last occurred in July 2005 when a woman
died after contracting it from a dog bite during a holiday in the Indian
resort of Goa, pictured]
Deadly: The grandmother's illness is the first case of rabies in England in
almost seven years. The last occurred in July 2005 when a woman died after
contracting it from a dog bite during a holiday in the Indian resort of
Goa, pictured
[image: Rare:
