Rabies Vaccination

Rabies is a viral infection of the nervous system. The virus travels along nerves from the site of the bite to the brain, which is why the incubation period varies so widely, from a few weeks to, occasionally, more than a year, and why bites further from the head generally take longer to develop. Once symptoms appear, rabies is almost universally fatal. There is effectively no treatment at that stage.

Everything therefore depends on the window before symptoms begin, which is usually weeks. Wound washing, vaccination and, where needed, immunoglobulin during that window prevent the disease reliably. This is why the advice in Module 8 matters more than anything else on this page.

The vaccine itself is inactivated, not live, so it is safe for people who cannot have live vaccines, including those who are immunosuppressed and, where the risk justifies it, in pregnancy. Side effects are usually limited to a sore arm and occasionally mild flu like symptoms. Three doses produce reliable immune memory, which is what allows a rapid response to two booster doses after an exposure.

On boosters. Once you have completed a primary course, routine boosters are not generally needed for most travellers, though people with continuing occupational exposure may need periodic testing or boosting. If you had a course years ago, tell us, because your post exposure requirement is different from someone never vaccinated and that fact stays useful for life.