What is the 10-day observation method?

The 10-day observation method is a rabies monitoring measure proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

After being bitten or scratched by a domestic dog, cat, or ferret, the wound should be immediately cleaned, and necessary post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) should be administered based on the specific circumstances while controlling and observing the biting animal. If the animal remains healthy and alive after 10 days, it can be concluded that the injured person is not infected with rabies. For those who have already started PEP, it can be discontinued.

Which department handles the 10-day observation method?

English name: 10-day quarantine.

Alias: 10-day observation method.

Departments: Emergency department, infectious disease department.

What situations is the 10-day observation method applicable to? What are the prerequisites for its application?

The 10-day observation method applies to the following situations:

1. The biting animal is limited to domestic dogs, cats, or ferrets.

   • Research data indicate that if a dog, cat, or ferret remains healthy for 10 days after biting, its saliva could not have contained the rabies virus at the time of the bite, thus preventing transmission to the bitten person.

   • For animals other than dogs, cats, and ferrets, the rabies virus shedding period is not well established, so a more conservative 14-day observation is recommended.

2. The biting animal must be assessed by a professionally trained individual to confirm its health status and must be controllable for observation over 10 days.

3. After being bitten or scratched, the wound should be immediately and thoroughly cleaned (using soap and water, detergent, povidone-iodine disinfectant, or other solutions that can kill the rabies virus for thorough rinsing and cleaning for more than 15 minutes).

4. While observing the biting animal, whether to immediately initiate PEP (including rabies vaccination, with or without rabies immunoglobulin injection) depends on specific circumstances, including:

   • Whether the biting animal has been vaccinated against rabies.
   • The specific behavior of the biting animal (e.g., whether it attacked without provocation).
   • The local rabies epidemic situation.
   • The type of injury (bite, scratch, or merely licking of the skin), etc.

   If the risk of rabies infection is assessed to be very low after thorough evaluation, PEP can be delayed.

5. For injured individuals who do not receive PEP immediately, if the biting animal dies, escapes, or shows rabies-like symptoms within 10 days, PEP should be initiated immediately.

6. For injured individuals who receive PEP immediately, do not interrupt PEP arbitrarily unless the biting animal remains healthy after 10 days of observation and is assessed by a professional.

Given China's national conditions, even if the biting animal remains healthy after 10 days, it is still recommended that the injured person complete the full course of rabies vaccination.