'Don't say vaccine is ineffective, antibodies won't be able to stop virus in time if dog’s tooth directly punctures nerve'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The tragic death of seven-year-old Niya Faisal from rabies has raised serious concerns regarding the effectiveness of anti rabies vaccine. Dr S. Bindu, Superintendent of SAT Hospital, stated that the virus may have spread swiftly because the dog bite likely pierced deeply into a nerve, accelerating its progression to the brain before the vaccine could take effect.

Niya, a resident of Kunnikode, Vilakkodi in Kollam district, died in the early hours of Monday while undergoing treatment at SAT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. She had been bitten by a dog on April 8, and later developed a fever on April 29. Initially treated at a taluk hospital, she was subsequently transferred to SAT Hospital as her condition worsened.

Although Niya had received the initial three doses of the anti-rabies vaccine, doctors were unable to save her life, leading to widespread public concern. In light of this, Dr Bindu and the medical team who oversaw her treatment held a press conference to explain the details of the case.

Doctors also confirmed that the child’s mother is not in quarantine. "The rabies virus spreads through the nerves to the brain and spinal cord. If the bite directly affects a nerve, the virus can spread very quickly. Even with vaccination, the immune system requires time to produce effective antibodies. Such direct nerve bites are rare, but in Niya’s case, the bite was deep and located in an area where nerve concentration is high.

If a dog’s tooth directly punctures a nerve, the vaccine’s antibodies may not be able to stop the virus in time. It is incorrect to say that the vaccine is ineffective. The issue is that the virus may have already reached the nervous system before the antibodies became active, which can lead to such tragic outcomes," the doctor said.