摘要：Post-exposure rabies prophylaxis is provided by the Health Department of Western Australia topersons exposed to potentially rabid animals overseas. In addition, since the discovery ofAustralian bat lyssavirus in 1996, rabies prophylaxis has been provided to persons exposed orlikely to be exposed to Australian bats. This article reviews the provision of rabies prophylaxis i nWestern Australia from July 1991 to December 1997. During this period, 101 persons receivedrabies post-exposure prophylaxis in Western Australia. Exposure occurred outside Australia in91% of cases. Dogs were the most frequent source of exposure (62.4%) and Thailand was the mostfrequent country of exposure (34.7%). However in 1997, Australian bat exposures accounted for37.5% of all post-exposure prophylaxis. No pre-exposure prophylaxis was given until 1997, wheneight persons received rabies vaccine to protect them against possible infection with Australian ba t lyssavirus. Until the epidemiology of Australian bat lyssavirus is more clearly defined, theLyssavirus Expert Group has recommended rabies prophylaxis be given for all Australian batexposures. In the context of Australian bat lyssavirus as an emerging infectious disease it isimportant to have baseline data on rabies prophylaxis to allow for future assessment of its impact
