Rabies vaccine immunity. Protect me!

If a person has been previously fully vaccinated against rabies using a modern rabies vaccine, either for pre-exposure or post-exposure vaccination by IM or ID route, only two doses of vaccines are given on days 0 and 3. (However, a full vaccination course is recommended for those previously vaccinated with nerve tissue vaccine.) Persons previously immunized against rabies have two distinct comparative advantages. ● It is not necessary to administer RIG, even in a category III exposure. ● Pre-vaccination leads to added protection by inducing memory cells causing an accelerated immune response when a booster dose of vaccine is administered. This is the reason why parents are encouraged to vaccinate their children against rabies, because they are most vulnerable to dog bites and category III exposure.

Anti-rabies treatment should be started immediatelv : If the animal shows signs of rabies or dies within 10 days of observation. If the biting animal cannot be traced or identified. Unprovoked bites. Laboratory tests (e.g., fluorescent rabies antibodg test or test for Negri bodies) of the brain of the biting animal are positive for rabies. (v) All bites by wild animals.