Journal of travel medicine
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Rabies is an invariably fatal zoonotic viral disease. New Zealanders going abroad are largely unaware of the risk of contracting the disease. Prevention is the key to controlling the spread of this disease. ⋯ New Zealanders require better guidance in understanding the need for travel-related rabies vaccination, as they are not managed abroad according to WHO guidelines. Few travelers had had pre-travel immunization, and only 20.3% of them had received WHO-advised postexposure management. Thus, 79.7% of the cohort theoretically remained at risk for contracting rabies because of inappropriate management following possible exposure to the disease.