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"What is the rabies vaccine&amp;amp;nbsp;used for?  Prevention of rabies.  The vaccine is not given routinely. It is administered to people at high risk of exposure to rabies, such as laboratory staff who handle the rabies virus, those working in quarantine stations, animal handlers, veterinary surgeons and field workers who are likely to be bitten by infected wild animals, certain port officials, and bat handlers.  Rabies vaccination may also be recommended where there is limited access to prompt medical care for those living in areas where rabies affects the local animals, for those travelling to such areas for longer than one month, and for those on shorter visits who may be exposed to unusual risk of being bitten by a rabid animal.  The vaccine is also given to prevent rabies in people bitten by an animal suspected to have rabies, whether or not the person has been previously immunised (post-exposure prophylaxis). How does the rabies vaccine&amp;amp;nbsp;work? Rabies vaccine contains inactivated rabies virus. It works by provoking the body&amp;#039;s immune response to this virus, without actually causing the disease. When the body is exposed to foreign organisms, such as bacteria and viruses, the immune system produces antibodies against them. Antibodies help the body recognise and kill the foreign organisms. They then remain in the body to help protect the body against future infections with the same organism. This is known as active immunity.  The immune system produces different antibodies for each foreign organism it encounters. This establishes a pool of antibodies that helps protect the body from various different diseases.  Vaccines contain extracts or inactivated forms of bacteria or viruses that cause disease. These altered forms of the organisms stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies against them, but don&amp;#039;t actually cause disease themselves. The antibodies produced remain in the body so that if the organism is encountered naturally, the immune system can recognise it and attack it, thus preventing it from causing disease. Each bacteria or virus stimulates the immune system to produce a specific type of antibody. This means that different vaccines are needed to prevent different diseases.  The rabies vaccine stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against the rabies virus and is given to prevent this disease. It can be given to prevent the disease in people who are at high risk of being in contact with an infected animal (see below) and to people who have been bitten by an infected animal. (This is called post-exposure prophylaxis.) How is the rabies&amp;amp;nbsp;vaccine given?  For people at risk of being bitten, the vaccine is given as a course of three injections on days 0, 7 and 28. A booster dose is then needed one year after completing this course, followed by a further dose every three to five years for people who remain at risk. For people who have been immunised against rabies and who have bitten by an animal suspected of having rabies, two further doses of the vaccine are needed, the first on the day of the bite, the second on day 3 after the bite. For people who have not been immunised against rabies and have bitten by an animal suspected of having rabies, the first injection of rabies vaccine should be given as soon as possible after the bite, followed by four further doses on days 3, 7, 14 and 30. The treatment may be stopped if the animal concerned is later found to be free of rabies. The injections are administered into the muscle of the upper arm.  Important information about the rabies vaccine  People who have an underactive immune system (for example due to a genetic defect, disease such as HIV infection, or treatment with immunosuppressant medicines such as chemotherapy, high-dose corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants, eg to prevent rejection of organ transplants), may not produce enough antibodies in response to this vaccine. If you fall into one of these categories, your doctor may want you to have a blood test after the primary course of three injections is completed, in order to check the levels of rabies antibodies in your blood. You may need to have additional doses of the vaccine to make sure you produce enough antibodies to protect you from the virus.   Rabies vaccine should not&amp;amp;nbsp;be used in  People with an acute feverish illness (the vaccine should be postponed until after recovery, unless you have been bitten by an infected animal, in which case there are no contraindications to having the vaccine).   This vaccine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients, unless you have been bitten by an infected animal. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction after having this vaccine, inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately. Rabies vaccine should be used with caution in  People with a history of allergies, particularly to aminoglycoside antibiotics such as neomycin. People with low numbers of blood cells called platelets in their blood (thrombocytopenia), or blood clotting disorders such as haemophilia (injections into muscles can cause bleeding in these people).  Pregnancy and breastfeeding Certain vaccines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other vaccines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before having any vaccine.  This vaccine can be given to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, particularly if they have been bitten by an infected animal. Since rabies is life-threatening, the benefits of the vaccine greatly outweigh any potential risks. It is not known if the vaccine passes into breast milk. You should ask your doctor for advice on whether you need to stop breastfeeding while having a course of rabies vaccine.  Possible side effects of the rabies vaccine Vaccines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this vaccine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people having this vaccine will experience that or any side effect. This vaccine contains no live virus and so cannot cause rabies. Very common (affect more than 1 in 10 people)  Pain, redness, itching or hardening of the skin at the injection site. Swollen glands. Headache. Feeling sick. Diarrhoea. Aching muscles or joints. A general feeling of being unwell (malaise). Shivering.  Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)  Bruising at the injection site. Fever. Abdominal pain. Vomiting. Dizziness. Allergic reactions with rash, itching, hives, wheezing, shortness of breath, or swelling of the face, throat and tongue (angioedema).  Frequency not known  Fluid retention causing swelling (oedema). Feeling weak. Pins and needles sensations (paraesthesia). Convulsions. Slight paralysis. Guillain-Barr\u00E9 Syndrome.  The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the vaccine&amp;#039;s manufacturer.&amp;amp;nbsp;For more information about any other possible risks associated with this vaccine, please read the information provided with the vaccine or consult your doctor or pharmacist. If you think you have experienced a side effect from a medicine or vaccine you should check the patient information leaflet. This lists the known side effects and what to do if you get them. You can also get advice from your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. If they think it&amp;#039;s necessary they&amp;#039;ll report it for you. You can also report side effects yourself using the yellow card website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. How can this vaccine affect other medicines? This vaccine is not known to affect other medicines.  However, if you are taking medicines that suppress the activity of the immune system, for example chemotherapy, high-dose corticosteroids, or immunosuppressants, eg used following an organ transplant, you may not produce adequate numbers of antibodies in response to this vaccine. As a result, the vaccine may be less effective. If you are taking any of these medicines you should discuss this with your doctor. You may need additional doses of the vaccine.  Other rabies vaccines  Rabipur.  Further reading For background information about our medicine factsheets, including the references used to produce them, click here. Last updated 10.01.2013 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/infections/a7899/rabies-vaccine/>