Rabies Vaccine: An Introduction
There is no treatment for
rabies after
rabies symptoms appear; however, two decades ago, rabies research scientists developed an extremely effective new rabies vaccine regimen that provides protection against rabies. This vaccine works in two ways. It works when administered after an exposure (post-exposure prophylaxis), or for protection before an exposure occurs (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
Although rabies among humans is rare in the United States, every year an estimated 18,000 people receive the rabies vaccine for pre-exposure prophylaxis, and an additional 40,000 receive the rabies vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis.
There are also cat, ferret, horse, sheep, cattle, and dog rabies vaccines.
Pre-Exposure Rabies Vaccine
Pre-exposure treatment with the rabies vaccine is recommended for people in high-risk groups. These high-risk groups include:
- Veterinarians, animal handlers, and certain laboratory workers
- Other people whose activities bring them into frequent contact with rabies virus, or potentially rabid bats, raccoons, skunks, cats, dogs, or other species at risk for having rabies
- International travelers who are likely to come in contact with animals in areas where dog rabies is relatively common (such as in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America) and who lack immediate access to appropriate medical care.
People who work with live rabies virus in research laboratories or vaccine production facilities are at the highest risk of unapparent exposures. Such people should have a serum (blood) sample tested for antibodies to rabies virus every six months and receive a booster vaccine when necessary. Healthcare providers do not generally recommend routine pre-exposure prophylaxis with the rabies vaccine in other situations.
Purpose
Healthcare providers administer pre-exposure prophylaxis with the
rabies vaccine for several reasons. First, although pre-exposure vaccination does not eliminate the need for additional medical attention after a rabies exposure, it simplifies therapy by eliminating the need for human rabies immune globulin (HRIG), and decreases the number of rabies vaccine doses needed. Second, it may enhance immunity in people whose post-exposure
rabies treatment might be delayed. Finally, it may provide protection to people with unapparent exposures to rabies.
Treatment Course
Pre-exposure treatment with the rabies vaccine consists of three doses of rabies vaccine given on days 0, 7, and 21 or 28.
Post-Exposure Rabies Vaccine
Doctors use post-exposure prophylaxis (rabies treatment) with the rabies vaccine for people possibly exposed to a rabid animal
(see Rabies Transmission). Post-exposure treatment for rabies should begin as soon as possible after an exposure. According to the CDC, no one in the United States has developed rabies when this post-exposure treatment regimen was followed.
Administration of rabies vaccine is a medical urgency, not a medical emergency. Physicians should evaluate each possible exposure to rabies and, as necessary, consult with local or state public health officials regarding the need for rabies prophylaxis.
Treatment Course
In the United States, post-exposure rabies treatment consists of a regimen of one dose of rabies immune globulin and five doses of rabies vaccine given over a 28-day period. Rabies immune globulin and the first dose of rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible after exposure. Additional doses of rabies vaccine should be given on days 3, 7, 14, and 28 after the first vaccination.
The rabies vaccine works by stimulating a person's immune system to produce antibodies that neutralize the virus. The person develops a protective immune response before the virus reaches the brain and begins to actively replicate.
Possible Side Effects of the Rabies Vaccine
Older
rabies vaccines required painful, daily injections in the abdomen, for up to three weeks, and they could produce severe side effects. Current rabies vaccines are relatively painless and are given in your arm, like a flu or tetanus vaccine. Newer rabies vaccines in use today also cause fewer adverse reactions.
Possible side effects of the rabies vaccine can include:
- Low-grade fever
- Pain, redness, swelling, or itching at the injection site
- Headache
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Muscle aches
- Dizziness.
Rabies Vaccine for Animals
Rabies vaccines are available for dogs, cats, ferrets, horses, sheep, and cattle. To be effective, these rabies vaccines must be injected before an animal is exposed to rabies. If exposed, the animal should get a booster shot.
One of the best ways to prevent rabies is to keep vaccinations for cats, dogs, and ferrets up to date. Depending on the type of rabies vaccine used, it should be given yearly or every three years. Even indoor pets should have rabies vaccinations. There was a case in which a woman found her unvaccinated, indoor cat with a bat in its mouth. The bat, which escaped, was assumed to have rabies, making for the tough decision of either euthanizing the cat or isolating it for six months.
Not only is it good preventative healthcare to vaccinate pets, but according to The Humane Society of the United States, it's the law -- most states require that dogs and cats receive the rabies vaccine. Some states also require rabies vaccinations for ferrets.
In a cooperative program involving the USDA, the CDC, and state governments, animals such as raccoons, coyotes, foxes, and skunks are being vaccinated orally in certain areas where rabid wildlife are frequently found. The oral rabies vaccine is hidden in a bait of fishmeal or other food. The baits are dropped by airplanes into rural areas and spread by hand in urban and suburban areas.
Add this article to your Favorites
Email this article
Print