Vaccines and Preventable Diseases:
Rabies Vaccination
Pronounced (RAY-beez)
Preexposure vaccination is recommended for persons in high-risk groups, such as veterinarians, animal handlers, and certain laboratory workers. Although preexposure vaccination does not eliminate the need for additional medical attention after a rabies exposure, it can decrease the number of vaccine doses needed, and it minimizes adverse reactions to multiple doses of vaccine. More...
What You Should Know:
For Health Professionals:
What You Should Know
- About the disease
Brief description of symptoms, etc. - Knowing How to Prevent Rabies isn't Just for Adults. Kids Can Get the Facts Too. posted Sept 2009
Feature story - Protect Your Family from Rabies Posted Jul 2009
Feature story - The Burden of Rabies: Learn how to help prevent rabies, a deadly virus that threatens the health of people and animals Posted Sep 2010
Data and Statistics Feature
- Questions and Answers
- Pictures of rabies
Warning: Some of these photos are quite graphic. - Concerns about bats while camping
- Video
clips of rabies
Warning: Some of these videos are extremely disturbing! - CDC Kids Rabies, KidsHealth, and Just for kids
- Travelers information
Concerns about risks for travelers, preexposure vaccination, etc.
- Rabies vaccine supply situation
- Side Effects
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS)
- Questions and Answers
- What Should I Do if I Can't Afford the Rabies Vaccine?
- Rabies in Transplant Recipients: Organ Transplant Concerns (2004)
- Recall of Rabies Vaccine (Human Diploid Cell), Imovax Rabies
Aventis Pasteur - April 2, 2004
As with all vaccines, there can be minor reactions, including pain and redness at the injection site, headache, fatigue or a vague feeling of discomfort.
- CDC's Vaccine Safety website
- Are vaccines safe?
FAQs on The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia website
It should be noted that there are no contraindications for those truly exposed to rabies. Therefore, the "who should not be vaccinated" information is relevent for routine pre-exposure only.
For Health Professionals
Clinical Information on Rabies
- Clinical information
Indicators, management of human rabies, collection of samples... - Diagnosis
- Epidemiology
- Ask the Experts
CDC experts answer your clinical questions (Immunization Action Coalition) - Immunization of Healthcare Workers
- Information for Veterinarians
Vaccine Recommendations
- ACIP Recommendations
- Contraindications
- Package inserts
(IMOVAX, RabAvert, and more package inserts...) Posted
Feb 2010 - Precautions and Contraindications
References and Resources
- Professional publications
- Travelers Health: Yellow Book
- Infection control guidelines
- News and highlights about Rabies
- Global Efforts to Control and Prevent Rabies
- World Rabies Day Toolkit Posted Sept 2009
For state and local health departments
Provider Education
Materials for Patients
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Content last reviewed on May 14, 2009
Content Source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases