The rabies vaccine is currently the only way to fight this disease, as no cure for rabies has yet been invented. Rabies is a rare viral disease with a very high mortality rate. The vaccine protects both animals and humans against rabies. What are the types of rabies vaccines? Who should get vaccinated? Find out what are the contraindications for using this vaccine in humans.
Rabies vaccineis effective in protecting against this disease. In developed countries, the risk of rabies has been minimized thanks to vaccination of domestic and wild animals. Unfortunately, rabies is still present in many parts of the world and is a major threat. In Poland, however, thanks to prophylaxis, no cases of this disease are reported in humans. It happens, however, that rabies occurs in wild animals such as foxes, raccoon dogs and martens, and in domestic animals - dogs and cats.
What is rabies?
Rabies is a deadly diseasecaused by therabies virus belonging to the Rhabdoviridaefamily. It has thehighest death rate among currently known infectious diseases .
The virus is transmitted through saliva when bitten by:
- infected wild predatory animals, e.g. bats, foxes,
- pets e.g. dogs, cats,
- less frequent by roe deer and rodents.
Rabies does not generally spread from person to person, although in very rare cases it can be passed from person to person during organ transplants.
Rabies virus has a strong affinity for the nervous system. In the spinal cord, the virus quickly enters the central nervous system, causing inflammation of the brain.
Symptoms of rabiesare:
- weakness,
- fever,
- headache,
- anxiety and over-stimulation,
- epileptic seizures,
- hallucinations,
- hydrophobia (fear of water).
Rabies vaccine is currently the only method of fighting diseasein both humans and animals
Rabies vaccine - history
The first effective vaccine against rabieswas developed byLouis Pasteurand was applied toon July 6, 1885in a nine-year-old boy who was bitten by a rabid dog.
Pasteur's method of preparing the vaccine was to infect laboratory rabbits with rabies virus, then prepare a homogenate from their spinal cord, which was gradually blown dry with sterile air in order to deprive the virus of its ability to cause rabies. Initially, the patient received a subcutaneous injection of a vaccine containing completely harmless rabies virus.
In contrast, subsequent doses of the vaccine prepared from the rabbit spinal cord were dried for a shorter time and contained increasingly dangerous viruses.
Pasteur's approach has proven to be very successful, as previously appropriate rabies vaccines have resulted in the death of those given it. Even so, later experience showed that the Pasteur vaccine had several disadvantages.
A breakthrough in the production of modern vaccines against rabies turned out to be the development of cell cultures for the multiplication of the rabies virus. Such vaccines are still used today.
Rabies vaccine - types
Current rabies vaccines for humans contain inactivated (killed) rabies virus and they are calledinactivated vaccines .
Current rabies vaccinesto:
- Verorab, in which the rabies virus grows in the VERO cell line
- Rabipur, in which the rabies virus is multiplied in chicken embryos (currently not available in Poland).
Both vaccines are recommended by the World He alth Organization (WHO).
In addition,rabies vaccines for animals in the form of edible oral pelletsare used. They contain disease-inducing rabies virus with the addition of fishmeal paste.
Oral vaccines are a preventative measure to eliminate rabies in transmitting wild animals such as foxes.
Oral vaccination programs against rabies in this form are used in many countries. Vaccine pellets are usually dropped from airplanes in order to more effectively cover large rural areas, including forests.
Examples of such vaccines available on the market in Poland are:
- Fuchsoral
- and Lysvulpen.
Moreover, in Poland it is obligatory to vaccinate domestic animals such as dogs against rabies. In this case, vaccinationcan be performed in any veterinary office and should be repeated once a year.
It consists in the intramuscular injection of a special vaccine against rabies intended for pets.
Rabies vaccine - indications in humans
In developed countries, including Poland, rabies has been almost completely eliminated thanks to vaccinating wild and domestic animals. However, in some parts of the world, rabies still poses a serious threat to both residents and tourists.
The rabies vaccine is used in two situations:
- as pre-exposure prophylaxis
- and as post-exposure prophylaxis.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis
Pre-exposure prophylaxisaims to acquire immunity to the rabies virus. In such a situation, vaccinations are recommended to people from risk groups that may come into contact with sick animals:
- vets,
- veterinary students,
- animal keepers, e.g. zoo staff,
- hunters,
- foresters,
- people exploring caves,
- travelers to countries where rabies is common.
The anti-rabies vaccine as pre-exposure prophylaxis is administered in three doses. The second dose is given 7 days after the first dose and the third dose 21 or 28 days after the first. This is followed by a booster 12 months after the last vaccination, followed by a booster every 5 years.
Post-exposure prophylaxis
Post-exposure prophylaxisis used after an animal bites a sick or suspected rabies animal. It aims to protect against the development of full-blown rabies.
Five doses of the vaccine are given to people who have not previously received a series of rabies vaccines. The second dose is given 3 days after the first dose, followed by third, fourth and fifth doses respectively at 7, 14 and 28 days after the first dose. In addition, immune antibodies are given with the first dose of the vaccine.
Vaccine protective antibodies persist for several yearsproviding protection from future rabies virus exposure. With re-exposure over the next 5 years, only two booster doses are given. Then there is also no need to administer immune antibodies.
The vaccine can be given to both children and adults. It should only be injected into the deltoid muscle in adults or into the anterolateral thigh in children.
Rabies vaccine -contraindications in humans
Some people should consult a doctor before receiving the rabies vaccine whether there are any contraindications for its use. This is especially true for people who:
- have had an allergic reaction to any vaccine in the past,
- suffer from allergic diseases,
- suffer from AIDS,
- have cancer,
- take medications that affect the functioning of the immune system,
- are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Rabies vaccine - side effects
After receiving the rabies vaccine, as with any vaccination, side effects may occur. Side effects are usually mild and disappear within a few days of receiving the vaccine.
Possible side effects of the rabies vaccine include:
- pain, swelling or redness at the injection site
- headache,
- dizziness,
- fatigue,
- enlargement of the lymph nodes,
- stomach ache,
- pain in muscles and joints,
- fever,
- hives.
Serious side effects from the nervous system, for example, are very rare.
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