What are the chances of contracting rabies from a dog's saliva on an inanimate object?

Hi doctor,

I have read on the internet and learned from some doctors that inanimate objects could not transmit the rabies virus. But can it be transmitted through a dog's saliva when it contacts a human hand (intact skin), then to the mobile phone, and then accidentally comes in contact with my baby's eye more than once? Can a dog's saliva spread the infection when it contacts with intact human skin and then to another person's wound or a mucus membrane? Are these possible ways of rabies transmission?

Please give me your suggestions.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply.

Can the rabies virus remain alive on the mobile phone when it does not interact with the environment?

Please give me your opinion.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply.

I heard that it could not spread if the saliva is on any inanimate object that comes in contact with a wound. How far is it true?

Kindly help.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply.

Can it live longer on human skin (intact) than on any inanimate object? Or does the virus live for the same duration independent of which object the dog's saliva has fallen to?

Kindly help.

Thank you for your reply, doctor.

So, does it live longer on intact human skin than any non-living object?

Kindly help.

Thank you for your reply, doctor.

When I was going on a road, two street dogs were fighting. Some drops of liquid (I do not know whether it was saliva or not) fell on me, and then I touched it and might have touched my eye or nostrils and also my mobile phone. Then after about 10 minutes, I returned home, and the phone might have come in contact with my 3-year-old baby's eye while he was playing with it. My nostrils and eyes also often came in contact with his eye, nostrils, or any of his wounds. Does he require an anti-rabies vaccine for it? Does rabies spread in this way?

Kindly help.

Thank you for your reply, doctor.

There are other incidents about which I am concerned, and they are:

1. I had kept a bottle of water in a bag hung on my bike. A dog smelled and licked the bag. Then I brought the bag home and kept the bottle outside for about 10 minutes. Then my son touched my hand and then touched his eyes accidentally. Is there any need to fear?

2. If I touched that bag which any dog might have recently licked, and then touched my raincoats which were then kept in an airtight basket, then after five minutes touched the raincoat, and then my hand touched my nephew's eye. Can the rabies virus live on the raincoat because it was in an airtight basket? Does such an incident pose any risk?

Kindly help.

Thank you for your reply, doctor.

The other incident is described here:

While I went out with my son, the garbage on the roadside came in touch with my son's foot. There was a wound on his foot, but the wound was covered with socks. As the dogs search in the garbage, there are chances for their saliva to be present in the garbage. Is there any need for an anti-rabies vaccine? He has taken DPT as per his regular vaccine chart. Kindly help.

Thank you for your reply, doctor.

After coming to know from you that rabies virus can live longer on human skin and also it can live on inanimate objects till it dries, is there a way to get rid of this virus as unknowingly we might come across dog's saliva on any object or skin which might touch the eye or mucus membrane of my baby or any other person? Is there any possibility of transmission with this? Are there any cases reported like that?

Kindly help.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply.

Is there any reported case of any indirect transmission of rabies anywhere till now? I mean to ask if rabies saliva from animals to any object or intact skin and then to any other person has caused infections?

Is such a type of transmission practical or only theoretical?

Please answer.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply.

It is known that the rabies virus in a dog's saliva is dead and noninfectious when the saliva is dried outside in the environment. But can the rabies virus in a dog's saliva remain alive and infect after three days in water or water drops in the bathroom, washroom, or toilet?

Please give me your suggestions.

Hi doctor,

Thank you for your reply.

I meant to say two days instead of three days. Is it still infectious or non-infectious? Will it be alive for two days?

Kindly answer.