Consequences of drinking alcohol after rabies vaccination. There are such adverse reactions to DPT:

In the list of infectious diseases that cause death in humans, rabies is in tenth place. In order to draw people's attention to the dangerous significance of this disease, World Rabies Day was established. Rabies stands apart among infectious diseases due to its absolute lethality: a person who does not receive help in the first hours after infection dies. The Alliance Against Rabies informs that this disease has been recorded in more than 150 countries, the annual mortality rate from it is 55 thousand people in the world, figuratively, every 10 minutes the disease takes one life. How many deaths from rabies are not officially registered?

The picture below introduces the reader of this article to a disease that can only be avoided when preventive measures are taken in advance.

That's why over 15 million people are vaccinated to prevent the disease from developing. This makes it possible to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from this infection every year. Vaccination against rabies in humans is a real barrier to the progression of the disease and the most effective preventive measure.

Quote from the forum about rabies: “People have been familiar with this disease for more than 4,300 years, but during all this time they have not learned to cure rabies. You say, the anti-rabies vaccine has existed for a century and it is administered to a person after a bite... Yes, there is a vaccine. But through vaccination it is only possible to prevent people from getting hydrophobia, and not to cure the disease. Animals and people affected by the neurotropic virus are incurable; there is no chance of recovery if clinical symptoms have already appeared.”

It is important to know that timely vaccination is intended to prevent the risk of developing the disease.

We invite you to watch the video, in which clear and reliable facts will help you get rid of a frivolous attitude towards the sources of transmission of the disease and its consequences:

How to help the body avoid disease

To prevent the development of the disease, a rabies vaccine is administered at the very beginning. Proven prevention for human bites by sick animals includes immunoglobulin injections and/or vaccination. The specific signs of the course of this disease in humans and other warm-blooded animals have significant differences. Let's name some of them:

Immunization started during the incubation period does not allow the disease virus to invade the central nervous system and cause the development of encephalitis and the inevitable death of the patient.
The long incubation period of rabies in humans allows vaccination in all suspicious episodes.
Within up to 10 days, if the victim asks for help, his body will take three anti-rabies injections and a dose of immunoglobulin, which eliminates the process of becoming infected with rabies even if bitten by a wild animal.
The rabies virus is not transmitted through contact from an infected person to a healthy person.
Rabies in children is caused by contact with sick animals.
The duration of the incubation period is determined by the dangerous or non-dangerous localization of the bite site.
The host and distributor of the disease in nature is an omnivorous mammal of the canine family: wolves, foxes.
There is no need to vaccinate a person against rabies if it is known for sure that the bitten animal has been vaccinated and can be monitored.

There is a strong belief that a person can get rabies only after being bitten by a sick animal. It's not true. The practice of infection has examples where the presence of drooling was enough for the disease. The instructions for the vaccine and the anti-rabies regimen contain information about this important detail.

Knowing that a person can be bitten by a sick animal and become infected with rabies, it is important to prevent the disease in animals. Its activities include vaccination of domestic, stray and wild animals and timely response to sick animals.

Rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats are given annually. A veterinarian vaccinates a healthy animal brought in for an appointment. How long does it take to develop immunity? Over a period of fourteen to thirty days, immunity to rabies develops in the animal’s body.

Protecting the body from the rabies virus

There is no cure for rabies.

The rabies virus (Neuroryctes rabid) is present in urine, saliva and tears. Low stability of the virus in the external environment is noted - it is destroyed in 15 minutes when the temperature rises to 56 C, during boiling - in 2 minutes. The virus dies under ultraviolet and sunlight, under the influence of ethanol. However, the intractability of the virus to destruction in a low-temperature environment, to antibiotics, phenol and alcohol has been noted.

After invading the body, the rabies virus travels along nerve fibers and kills almost the entire nervous system. How long does it take for the infection to become apparent? The incubation period can extend to 1 year. Damage to the brain and spinal cord is expressed by edema, necrotic and degenerative changes in nerve cells, and hemorrhage. The development of the disease already in the first stage means death, most likely. The rarest isolated cases (nine, three of them registered) of cure have been recorded in the world.

While there is no complete cure, the rabies vaccine stops the progression of the disease and saves a person’s life.

Therefore, vaccination against rabies is the guarantee of human life. How many times should the vaccine be injected? The vaccine administration regimen recommended by WHO provides for five-time vaccination into the muscle, 1 ml each: on the 1st day, then on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th day. This scheme for the body to receive the vaccine ensures the creation of lasting immunity, but WHO advises taking the last, sixth injection on the 90th day. Contraindications from vaccination have a short-term effect.

People who have previously been vaccinated according to the full schedule have antibodies in their bodies. When bitten by a rabid animal, they will be injected with a vaccine according to a certain scheme; immunoglobulin is not used.

By observing the bitten animal for ten days, it is usually determined that it is not infected. In this case, the administration of rabies vaccine is stopped. People whose professional skills place them at risk (veterinarians, hunters) are vaccinated in advance. The vaccination schedule (0, 7, 30 days) provides for re-vaccination after 12 months, and in later life - every 3 years.

Rabies immunization against the danger of infection

QUESTION. Where will a person who has been bitten by an animal (dog, cat) turn today?

ANSWER. You should go to the emergency room and get injections against rabies, the number of them depends on the vaccine: 3 or 6. Not all injections are given in a row, but there is a schedule according to which you cannot miss the day of the injection.

Thanks to the vaccine, introduced into the human body in the first few hours after contact with a sick animal, immunity against the virus is formed, which will save lives. According to the Alliance, every year one in five thousand people on the planet receive such immunization.

What is the power of the vaccine?

The vaccines used are endowed with the ability to produce protective antibodies in the body into which the virus has entered. The dosage and schedule of the vaccine creates the concentration of antibodies that is necessary to neutralize the virus. Based on available data, three doses of the vaccine are known to produce the required level of protective antibodies in all vaccinated individuals.

Placebo controls and clinical trials of the effectiveness of rabies vaccines in humans have not been conducted. For ethical reasons, the population of subjects examined for clinical studies was not determined to determine the effectiveness of the vaccine administered from the onset of infection at different times.

The rabies vaccine is said to be protective in all cases except when the following are clearly present:

Congenital immune deficiency.
Long-term use of immunosuppressants.
Delayed start of treatment.
Poor quality vaccine.
Disturbed immunization schedule.
Drinking alcohol.

Contraindications that cause vaccine injections in humans may be all of the list below or some of them:

Fever.
Aching in the bones and joints.
Trembling in limbs.
Loss of balance.
Weakness.
Quincke's edema.
Muscle pain.
Vomit.

To save your life, you can endure all this for several weeks!

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According to statistics from the World Health Organization, 55 thousand people die from this infection every year in the world. In Russia, according to the Scientific Center for Expertise of Medicinal Products, 74 people died from rabies from 2008 to 2015. It would seem that many times more people die from the flu. But the problem is that rabies in humans is an absolutely fatal disease.

If a person is bitten by an animal with rabies, or its saliva containing the virus somehow gets on the mucous membranes or damaged skin, then if the disease develops, death is inevitable. Throughout history, only one single case of a patient being cured after the onset of symptoms of the disease has been described in the literature.

From sick hedgehogs to pets

Experts believe that our population, although theoretically aware of such a disease and how it is transmitted, in practice often goes to the hospital too late after being bitten by suspicious animals. In the middle zone and the Moscow region, the most common source of rabies is sick foxes and hedgehogs, which have increased in forests in recent years. Such animals either bite humans themselves (often these are unlucky mushroom pickers), or infect domestic animals or stray dogs.

Doctors do not even advise, but shout out loud: if you are bitten by any animal and you do not know whether it is vaccinated against rabies, IMMEDIATELY after the bite you need to wash the wound with running warm water and soap, treat the edges of the wound with 70% alcohol and immediately rush to doctor!

Keep an eye on your pet

Rabies is one of the few diseases that cannot be treated at all. If the first symptoms appear, death will occur within 20 days maximum. No options.

How does infection occur and how to recognize symptoms of rabies in humans?

Domestic cats and dogs usually become infected from hedgehogs, foxes, wolves or stray animals. 70% of infections occur during trips out of town. The rabies virus is transmitted to people through the saliva of a sick animal - through a bite or when saliva gets on the skin if there are abrasions on it.

During the incubation period of the disease (from a week to 7 weeks), the animal may appear healthy. And this is especially dangerous because the virus is already in the saliva and the bite is already contagious.

The rabies virus affects the central nervous system in humans and animals. First, aggressiveness increases, the animal becomes angry and restless. After a couple of days, characteristic signs appear - hydrophobia, the fur sticks together, saliva flows from the mouth. The death of an animal infected with rabies is inevitable. Humans, however, too. That is why recognizing the symptoms of rabies in a person, strictly speaking, has no prospects from a medical point of view: once the disease has begun, then no treatment will help.

What to do?

The only salvation is to get vaccinated as quickly as possible after a bite - to get the so-called rabies vaccination (this is a complex of several injections performed at a certain time interval). Sometimes vaccination is supplemented by the introduction of immunoglobulins to the site of the animal’s bite.

It is necessary to get vaccinated against rabies if you are bitten by any cat or dog - be it domestic or stray, if you are not sure that the animal is vaccinated and definitely healthy.

There are countries where there are no cases of rabies infection (both animals and humans) at all. These are Great Britain, Cyprus, Japan and Australia. Experts believe that the disease does not occur in these countries due to strict quarantine measures. Also, over the past 30 years, no cases of rabies have been recorded in the Scandinavian countries, as well as in the countries of Southern Europe - Portugal and Spain.

In Russia, the most disadvantaged areas for rabies, according to data for 2015, were Tatarstan, Moscow and Lipetsk regions. In the Penza, Ryazan and Saratov regions the situation is slightly better; Chuvashia, Orenburg, Tula and Tambov regions and the Altai Territory are even more prosperous. The fewest cases of infection were registered in 2015 in Moscow, the Ivanovo and Sverdlovsk regions, the Komi Republic and the Trans-Baikal Territory.

What is the difference between a vaccine and immunoglobulin and how quickly you need to get vaccinated

If a person has been bitten by a dog, cat or other animal for which there is no evidence that it has been vaccinated against rabies and is definitely healthy, you need to go to any nearest emergency room. The victim of a bite must be given an anti-rabies vaccine.

How quickly should I get vaccinated?

It should be done as soon as possible after an animal bite. But the administration of the vaccine is also indicated regardless of the timing of the victim’s request for prevention, even several months after contact with a sick or suspicious animal.

The vaccine contains a weakened rabies pathogen and promotes the development of immunity against this disease. If the vaccine is administered on time and according to all the rules, then immunity has time to form and protect the body before the rabies virus causes the development of the disease. If it is possible to observe an animal that has bitten a person, then the vaccine is administered on day 0 (that is, actually the day of the bite - Ed.), days 3 and 7. If the animal is healthy, this is where the vaccine administration ends. If observation of the animal is not possible, vaccination is continued on the 14th, 30th and 90th days.

In addition to vaccines, there are immunoglobulins - these are preparations containing ready-made antibodies, that is, molecules that are analogues of immune antibodies that fight the virus. Such drugs are injected directly into the bite site so that they block the invading virus as quickly as possible. The decision to use immunoglobulin in addition to vaccination is made by the doctor, based on the circumstances of the incident: when the emergency occurred, how deep and extensive the wound is, in what place it is located.

Most often, antibodies are administered if a person has been bitten by a wild animal, regardless of the nature of the wound, or if, when bitten by a domestic animal, the wound is on the head, chest, hands, fingers and toes. Immunoglobulin is administered in the first hours after the bite, but, as a rule, no later than 7 days, and before the vaccine is administered. Immunoglobulins put a greater burden on the body than a vaccine, so patients, especially allergy sufferers, may be asked to go to the hospital under medical supervision for several days.

Unfortunately, immunity after vaccination against rabies is unstable and lasts for an average of a year in humans. In the case of a new bite, if no more than a year has passed since the end of the last full course of preventive vaccinations, the vaccine is administered only on days 0, 3 and 7. If a longer period has passed or the full course of vaccinations has not been completed, then treatment using a vaccine and, if necessary, immunoglobulin is prescribed as during the initial application for rabies treatment.

How to defeat rabies if there is no effective therapy? In the event of a bite from an infected animal, even the most modern medications will not save you. The only way to stay alive is vaccination. But for it to work, a number of important conditions must be met.

In what cases is a rabies vaccination indicated for a person? Is it effective if several days have already passed since the bite of an infected animal? How many injections do you need to give so that a dangerous disease does not cause irreparable consequences? How does a person tolerate vaccination and what should be done to ensure that it passes with a minimum of side effects? Let's find out everything about this vaccine.

Why do you need a rabies vaccination?

Why was there a need to invent a vaccine for humans against rabies?

It is impossible to predict how high the likelihood of contracting a dangerous disease is, but even today thousands of cases of infection are recorded annually.
There is still no effective treatment for rabies.
The virus lives on every continent, it can be found everywhere, which means absolutely anyone can get sick.

The vaccine against rabies was first obtained by the French microbiologist Louis Pasteur back in 1885. For a year, he worked on creating a prophylactic drug that would help cope with the developing disease. Thanks to his research, already in 1886 it was possible to save more than one thousand human lives.

Indications

Although the vaccine for humans against rabies was invented more than a century ago, even today it remains the only effective method of protecting and preventing this deadly disease.

Who needs to be vaccinated?

Veterinarians are at risk for rabies.
Anyone involved in catching and keeping stray animals.
Laboratory workers who, due to the nature of their work, are exposed to infectious agents should be vaccinated.
Vaccination is required for slaughterhouse workers.
A preventive vaccination against rabies is indicated for a person if he is a hunter, forester, or taxidermist (makes stuffed animals from killed animals).
Emergency prevention is carried out for anyone who has been bitten by an infected or suspicious animal.
Vaccination is recommended for people traveling on vacation or business trips to countries where the risk of infection is increased.

Vaccination against rabies is indicated in the national calendar of preventive vaccinations for epidemic indications, since it is not used for everyone, but only for certain categories of citizens or in the event of an emergency.

Contraindications

According to the instructions for rabies vaccines, vaccination is prescribed to a person to prevent the disease and in emergency situations in case of an animal bite. These are well-known indications. But in what cases is it not done?

The rabies vaccine is the only one in the world that is administered to humans in any case, regardless of contraindications. Despite the fact that its administration often causes adverse reactions.

Therefore, rabies vaccination is prescribed, including during pregnancy. At the same time, it is possible to save the life of the mother, and sometimes even the baby. After all, if infected, both will die.

A contraindication to routine rabies vaccination in humans is age - it is given starting from 16 years of age. But if a child is bitten by an infected animal, vaccination is carried out no matter what.

Vaccination schedule

Is the rabies vaccine dangerous for humans? - no, if you enter it correctly and in a timely manner. It is believed that if the vaccination is given later than 14 days from the moment of the bite, it is practically ineffective. When active manifestations of the disease are already developing, there is no point in using it.

What are the rabies vaccination schedules for humans? They differ in the number of injections for routine and emergency immunization.

After infection, a person should wash the wound thoroughly with running water and soap before administering the drug. And only after that start prevention.

How is routine vaccination against rabies carried out?

The first injection is given.
The next one is prescribed on the seventh day.
The last time they are vaccinated is on the 30th day.
Revaccination is carried out after a year.

How long does the rabies vaccine last in humans? - with regular scheduled vaccination, the drugs protect for three years, so all subsequent injections with anti-rabies serum are given at such intervals.

More recently, during the existence of the Soviet Union, the vaccine was unrefined; a person was injected at least 20 times in the abdominal area. Knowing all this, it was difficult to agree and complete the entire defense course. But at present, emergency prevention of rabies is carried out using more gentle methods, and the frequency of vaccination is much less.

In case of emergency immunization to treat an infected person, the vaccine is administered five times according to the following schedule:

immediately after infection;
on the third day after the first injection;
on the seventh day;
two weeks after the first injection;
and on day 30.

This is a standard emergency human protection scheme. But sometimes, in order to consolidate the result, a sixth injection is given at the end of the third month after the first administration of the drug.

Where is a person vaccinated against rabies? Injection of medication for infection into the subcutaneous tissue is no longer prescribed; drugs are now used only intramuscularly. Adults and children over 16 years of age are advised to administer the vaccine into the deltoid muscle, that is, into the outer contour of the shoulder.

The rabies vaccine is administered to a child only in the hip area. Vaccination in the buttock is not allowed. The amount of drug administered in children does not differ from adults.

On average, 2 weeks after vaccination, the human body begins to produce protective cells against the virus.

Side effects

What side effects can a person experience after receiving a rabies vaccine? This vaccination is quite well tolerated, but even here there are possible peculiarities that depend on the person’s immunity and on compliance with the rules for administering the medicine.

What complications or reactions can there be after a rabies vaccination in a person?

Redness, swelling and soreness, as well as itching, often occur at the injection site.
Common symptoms a person may experience after receiving a rabies vaccination include weakness, dizziness and headaches.
Another possible reaction to a rabies vaccine is local enlargement of the lymph nodes.
Some report nausea and abdominal pain.
Sometimes minor pain appears in the muscle area.
Unpleasant pain in the area where the vaccine was administered and a slight increase in temperature.
Severe complications include an allergic reaction in the form of urticaria.
The most unpleasant complications of the rabies vaccination are various disruptions in the functioning of the nervous system - sensory disturbances, weakening of the functioning of peripheral nerves and other changes that disappear a few weeks after vaccination.

What are the most common consequences of rabies vaccination in humans? These are local and general reactions from the body. Pain in the injection area, sometimes fever, headache and dizziness. The most dangerous consequences include an allergic reaction and disruption of the nervous system. Otherwise, the rabies vaccine is well tolerated.

Despite the considerable number of possible reactions and complications, not getting vaccinated is much more expensive, because human life is at stake.

Vaccines used

Where can a person be vaccinated against rabies? Normally, the vaccine should be available in any public medical institution - these are outpatient clinics, first aid stations (paramedic stations), hospitals and clinics. In the city, assistance to the injured person will be provided in the emergency room or in the surgical department. In rural areas, at least the first vaccine can be given at the nearest health center.

What rabies vaccines are there?

Dry inactivated rabies vaccine.
Russian "" - culturally purified rabies vaccine.
"", made in Germany.
Indian "".
“KAV” is also made in Russia, but compared to “Kokav” the dose is smaller, so it is used more often.

In addition to rabies vaccines, there are also immunoglobulins that come with them - human and equine.

Answers to frequently asked questions

The most common problems that vaccinated people face are the rules of human behavior after the administration of the drug. Let's find out what precautions need to be taken to ensure that the vaccine works and there are fewer complications, and also answer frequently asked questions.

You need to know that one of the important conditions for proper vaccination against an incurable disease is the absence of severe physical or emotional fatigue during this period. This means that during the entire course of immunization it is better to avoid sports and additional stress.

When it comes to rabies vaccination, no arguments for or against it should be decisive in the decision to do it or not. The infection is classified as particularly dangerous, so a conditionally infected person should not have the choice of whether to undergo vaccination. The drug is administered, even if there is an allergy to it, to all pregnant women and children, regardless of age. The most important thing in such a situation is to preserve human life.

Vaccination against rabies in humans helps prevent the development of a fatal disease that is transmitted through the bites of an infected animal. This infection is caused by rhabdoviruses and cannot be treated when symptoms first appear. Therefore, in order to save a person’s life, it is important to get rabies injections in a timely manner.

When should you get vaccinated?

The main source of rabies is wild animals (wolves, foxes, bats). However, infection can also occur after a pet bite. Infection develops when the saliva of a sick animal comes into contact with the wound surface or mucous membranes of a person during bites. Vaccination is mandatory in the following cases:

A wild animal or an unvaccinated pet has bitten, caused a scratch, and there has been contact between saliva and damaged skin. It is necessary to observe the animal for 10 days. During this time, the patient receives 3 injections of rabies vaccine. If the animal remains alive, then no further vaccination is necessary;
If the animal’s condition cannot be tracked, then full vaccination is carried out;
A bite from a wolf, bat, or fox that is thought to be initially infected with rabies.

If the patient has completed the full course of primary immunization for a year, then it is enough to give 3 injections of the vaccine on the day of infection, on the 3rd and 7th days. If more than 12 months have passed since vaccination, then a full course of 6 injections is prescribed.

When not to vaccinate

Vaccination is not carried out if the possibility of infection of a person is excluded:

The animal's saliva was in contact with intact skin;
After eating dishes made from the meat of rabid animals;
The animal bit through thick clothing, so the incident did not cause penetrating damage;
The wound was caused by the claws of a bird. Mammals, unlike birds, can retain saliva on their paws, so their scratches are dangerous;
The wound came from a pet that was vaccinated within 12 months prior to injury and has no symptoms of disease.

Important! If bites are located on the face, neck or hands, then vaccination is always carried out. After all, a vaccinated animal can be a carrier of rabies.

How many injections will be required?

Previously, 40 painful injections were required to prevent the development of rabies. Thanks to the development of medicine, it was possible to create an innovative vaccine that will reliably protect against viral disease in 6 injections. However, injections should be carried out on strictly defined days, excluding missed vaccinations.

In humans, rabies has a long incubation period, so it is important to complete the full course of immunization. The required number of injections is determined by the location of the bite. The greatest danger is from injuries to the face, arms, neck and chest. Then it is necessary to inject immunoglobulin into the bite area. This will help prevent the development of the infectious process within 10 days, which are necessary for the synthesis of one’s own antibodies.

How is vaccination carried out?

To build immunity, rabies vaccinations are given to people at risk. A full course of vaccination involves three doses of the vaccine. In this case, the second injection is given 7 days after the first immunization, and the third – after 3-4 weeks. The injection site is the upper arm.

The rabies vaccine is given to unvaccinated people after being bitten when there is a risk of infection. Rabies immunoglobulin and vaccine are usually used. Ideally, therapy begins within the first 24 hours after injury.

When visiting the emergency room, the doctor injects immunoglobulin into the wound area and surrounding healthy tissue. This will prevent the virus from entering the bloodstream and nervous system. The rabies vaccine must also be administered on the day of treatment. Next, vaccinations are carried out on days 3, 7, 14 and 28 after the first injection. If the animal remains alive after 10 days or after its euthanasia the absence of rabies is proven, then vaccination can be stopped.

Who is recommended for prophylaxis?

Rabies vaccination can be routine or emergency. Immunization is routinely carried out once every 2-3 years in the following groups of patients:

Employees of veterinary clinics who are constantly in contact with animals;
People who catch and euthanize stray animals work in a slaughterhouse;
Children who are unable to talk about animal bites;
Laboratory staff;
People who process livestock products;
Speleologists;
Employees of some bio-industrial facilities;
Travelers planning to travel to countries where rabies is common.

As an emergency, a person is vaccinated against rabies within 1-3 days after receiving an injury from a stray animal. If the animal turns out to be healthy, then the course of injections is stopped.

Main contraindications to immunization

All vaccine preparations can lead to the development of adverse events; rabies vaccines are no exception. Therefore, it is recommended to refuse vaccination in the following cases:

Pregnancy regardless of duration;
Allergy to antibiotics;
The period of exacerbation of chronic pathologies, the development of acute infectious processes;
History of allergic reactions to the administration of vaccine preparations;
Hypersensitivity to vaccine ingredients;
Immunodeficiency states.

It is important to consider that the listed restrictions apply only to preventive immunization, which is carried out before contact with animals. If the saliva of a sick animal gets on the wound surface, then rabies vaccination is carried out even if there are contraindications. After all, vaccination is the only way to save a person’s life.

Possible side effects

According to numerous clinical studies, vaccine preparations have virtually no side effects. However, the risk of developing undesirable symptoms increases if the patient is intolerant to certain ingredients of the vaccine.

The following side effects may develop:

Soreness, swelling, redness of the area where the rabies vaccine was administered. Local adverse reactions occur in 50-74% of patients;
Headaches, dizziness;
Development of pain in the abdomen and muscles;
Nausea;
Fever;
Allergies, which include the development of angioedema;
Urticaria, joint pain, fever develop (in 6% of patients);
It is extremely rare that vaccination causes Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is characterized by flaccid paresis and sensory disturbances. The listed symptoms usually disappear after 12 weeks.

What anti-rabies vaccinations are there?

Vaccination against rabies involves the introduction of an anti-rabies vaccine: KOKAV, Rabivak, Rabipur. Vaccine preparations are created on the basis of an infectious agent that is grown on special crops and has undergone a thorough purification and inactivation procedure. The latter process completely eliminates the development of an infectious disease after vaccination.

Anti-rabies immunoglobulin is used, which helps to temporarily protect the body from the spread of the rabies pathogen after a bite. The drug contains specific antibodies that can neutralize viral particles. It can be created from human or horse serum.

Interaction with other drugs

Vaccination against rabies in humans is not recommended against the background of the use of immunosuppressive and radiation treatment, chemotherapy, the use of cytostatics, glucocorticosteroids, and antimalarial drugs. The listed groups of medications adversely affect the production of specific antibodies to the virus that causes rabies. Therefore, treatment should be suspended during vaccination.

Important! During immunosuppressive therapy or in immunocompromised individuals, immunization may not be effective.

Is vaccination a panacea for rabies?

For average people, vaccination is an effective method that 100% prevents the development of a fatal disease. However, in the following cases, immunization may not prevent infection:

Congenital immunodeficiency;
Long-term use of glucocorticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs;
Late treatment;
The conditions for transportation and storage of the rabies vaccine were violated;
Drinking ethanol-based drinks for 6 months after vaccination;
Skipping an injection.

Administration of the rabies vaccine is the only effective method of treating the disease. Vaccination is recommended immediately after contact with infected animals. After all, vaccination can save if a person has no signs of the disease. If characteristic symptoms develop, the probability of death reaches 99%.

Rabies is an infectious disease. The virus enters the human body in the presence of damage to the skin with the saliva of an infected animal. The most common method of transmission of the disease is a bite. In such a situation, a special vaccination is needed.

The incubation period in humans lasts 1-8 weeks. When an animal suffering from this disease bites a person, its saliva enters the resulting wound, resulting in the transmission of the pathogen. The first step in case of a bite is to wash the wound for a long time with clean water and soap.
Then immediately contact a medical facility, where the necessary assistance will be provided, and most importantly, an injection will be given.

It must be remembered that there is a chance of infection even from pets. Due to an oversight by the owners, they can interact with “rabid” animals and contract the infection. The most common domestic carriers of rabies are dogs and cats.

Vaccination is necessary for people who interact with various animals at work: zoo workers, veterinary service employees, gamekeepers, as well as representatives of other similar professions.

The most dangerous thing is to be bitten without having rabies injections. Serious consequences also result from cases when, having received only a small wound and hoping for a positive outcome, a person forgets about it. But even an almost invisible wound is enough for the virus to enter the body. Children are at particular risk because they often simply do not tell adults about the attack.

The percentage of people infected ranges from 20 to 90 percent. The location, as well as the depth of the damage, are very important for diagnostic measures. The most dangerous are lesions of the face and upper extremities.

How does infection occur?

Angry dog – increased threat

When a pathogen in saliva enters a wound. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a bite or any other damage to the skin, such as an abrasion or scratch. The mucous membranes (mouth, eye shell, etc.) are also a suitable place for the penetration of a pathogenic agent into the body.

It should be noted here that to date the possibility of transmitting the disease from people to people has not yet been proven, however, precautions must still be taken when communicating with infected people.

Signs

Understanding what kind of disease this is, you should dwell on its symptoms. A certain amount of time passes from the moment of infection to the appearance of the initial symptoms. Basically, this period ranges from ten to sixty days. However, in certain cases this period is increased to one year or reduced to five days.

The vaccination cycle must be carried out before symptoms appear!

primary symptoms
the appearance of acute neurological pathologies
paralytic state

The duration of the phase of manifestation of initial signs is several days. Pain and itching occur in the affected area, the healed wound or scar begins to become inflamed and red again. The temperature rises, but only slightly.
Headaches, negative health, weakness, nausea, diarrhea, pain during swallowing, and a feeling of lack of air occur. The level of visual and auditory sensitivity increases. Disturbances in sleep patterns appear in the form of insomnia or nightmares. However, these signs sometimes act as symptoms of other diseases.
It often happens that the infected person is diagnosed with ARVI or the presence of an acute intestinal infection. Therefore, appropriate therapy is prescribed. To prevent symptoms from appearing, it is necessary to get vaccinated in the first 12 days.
The phase of neurological pathologies is characterized by damage to the nervous system. The condition becomes serious, instead of weakness, aggression appears. The patient has poor orientation in reality, mental processes are disrupted, he can attack others, try to bite. Patients are in an excited state, emotionally overactive, capable of running away.

Then convulsions and hallucinations occur. Various phobias appear, provoked by gusts of wind, water, the thought of the elements, bright light, loud sounds.
During attacks, the face begins to distort, spasms of the muscles of the pharynx and larynx, vomiting, and hiccups appear. Body temperature increases to forty degrees, which is typical. Between changes in health, patients behave quite calmly, adequately, and are conscious.

The final phase begins after a couple of days, if the patient is in good health and has not died from prolonged spasms of the muscles of the respiratory system. During this phase, muscle paralysis increases. Double vision occurs, the function of the pelvic organs is disrupted, the face becomes distorted, and excitatory processes weaken. Patients become calmer, begin to eat, drink water, and have no convulsions. However, this well-being is false and literally twenty hours later death occurs - breathing and heart suddenly stop. You can find out more about the signs.

Vaccination - where and how much

The first anti-rabies drug was created at the end of the 19th century. It was invented by a microbiologist from France, Louis Pasteur. An injection given in 1885 saved a nine-year-old boy. It is impossible to count how many people were saved in the future. It is a fact.
But the forty injections in the stomach, known to almost everyone, is a myth. There are only six of them: below the shoulder or into the gluteal muscle. The course completely eliminates the virus. The first is carried out immediately after the victim’s admission to the medical facility, the second - on the 3rd day, the third - on the 7th, the fourth - on the 14th, the fifth - on the 30th, the sixth - on the 90th day.

And this is the only way to defeat the infection. A full course of treatment is usually necessary. However, if it is possible to observe the bitten animal, and after ten days it has not died and feels great, it is permissible to stop treatment.

Please note that the injection can only help in the absence of the first symptoms. If they occur, the likelihood of death is very high. Most often, the victim is saved by the fact that the incubation period for homo sapiens lasts longer, and the time until the initial signs is correspondingly longer.

What are the guarantees

On average, a 100% cure is guaranteed. However, positive results may not be achieved if the following symptoms are present:

weakness of the immune system due to congenital pathologies;
duration of use of immunosuppressive and glucocorticoid medications;
failure to start a course of treatment in a timely manner;
violation of the storage period and conditions, incorrect administration;
alcohol;
skipping procedures.

It should be noted here that alcohol drunk by the patient usually reduces treatment to zero.

Time spending

It is important to get help before the end of the incubation period. It has a significant duration - it can last several weeks and even last for months. For this reason, vaccination must be carried out in every suspicious case.

Even with the shortest duration (ten days), a patient who applies for medical care in a timely manner will have time to receive 3 doses of the drug and immunoglobulin, which minimizes the chance of getting sick.

The disease is not transmitted through contact between a sick person and a healthy person, but there are known cases of infection during organ transplantation from an infected person in the incubation phase of the disease.
In children, the development of the disease is not affected by professional activities. They are the ones who come into greater contact with various animals, but, as previously noted, they may be afraid to talk about the bite.

Therapy started in the incubation phase helps the human body produce certain antibodies that prevent the virus from entering nerve cells and reaching the central nervous system, where it mainly causes encephalitis. The latter leads to death.

Do not forget that the duration of the incubation period largely depends on the location of the site; for this reason, bites are distinguished:

With dangerous localization – damage to areas of the head, face, neck, upper limbs.
With a non-hazardous localization – damage to other body surfaces.

The likelihood of becoming infected largely depends on the source of infection. Warm-blooded predators - foxes and wolves - are mainly affected. In case of an attack by a pet, vaccination is not necessary if there is accurate information about its vaccination and the possibility of constant monitoring.

Methods

Administration is carried out in a dosage of one milliliter, exclusively in medical institutions. The dose contains 25 IU/ml of antigen and is the same for both children and adults.

There are cases where adverse reactions developed and immunization was ineffective.

The injection is relatively painless. However, it should be remembered that it is incompatible with alcohol. If the vaccinated person drinks alcohol, the vaccine will not have any effect.

Prevention

Today, prevention is carried out using lyophilisate COCAB (with an ultraviolet-inactivated pathogen), suitable for both children and adults. If all recommendations are followed, the risk of spreading the disease is minimized, but if there is a significant likelihood of infection, additional immunoglobulin must be administered.

The dose of the drug, the schedule, and the mode of administration are the same, regardless of age. In accordance with current legislation, vaccination is included in the national vaccination plan. Therefore, when receiving emergency medical care, the patient should not be concerned about its cost in a government institution.

How many injections need to be given and what this number will depend on will be determined exclusively by a highly qualified radiobiologist who performs an examination, analyzes and evaluates the number of wounds, their depth, and location. He also determines the circumstances of the interaction, knowing the epidemiological features of the disease in a particular locality.

If the situation in a particular locality is favorable, the probability of infection is insignificant (it is possible to monitor unvaccinated pets, or the possibility of them having an infection is completely excluded in accordance with the data of laboratory tests), the vaccination schedule can be limited to 3.
Among certain categories of the population who, due to the specific nature of their work, interact with possible carriers of the virus, preventive measures are being taken.

Features of primary prevention

Planned prevention involves vaccination of groups of citizens who are at risk (dog handlers, veterinarians, trainers, etc.). Children under 16 years of age are vaccinated only if they are bitten.

Preventive measures include the following:
The vaccine is administered three times.

The second injection is given seven days after the first. The third – 21 (or 28) days after the first. Basically, they are placed in the upper part of the shoulder.

Every living creature produces antibodies in its blood serum.

Features of secondary prevention

If an unvaccinated child is bitten by an animal, you must immediately determine whether it is healthy. If there is a risk of infection, the baby is prescribed immunoglobulin and a series of five anti-rabies drugs for twenty-eight days. Basically, the temperature does not increase after injections.

It is better to start treatment no later than two days after infection. It is necessary to treat the bitten area as early as possible. Initially, it is necessary to clean the surface of the wound by washing it with soap for 10-15 minutes. Then immunoglobulin should be injected into the wound site and adjacent tissues. Such actions will prevent the virus from entering the central nervous system. The dosage recommended by experts is 20 IU/kg. The remains are injected intramuscularly into any place remote from the damaged area.

Immunoglobulin is not injected in the same place as the vaccine. The injection is made once, due to which specific antibodies are generated in the blood, acting until the body itself is unable to produce them in response. Repeated administration of immunoglobulin can lead to disruption of antibody production, as a result of which the disease can progress.

The treatment regimen is as follows: the anti-rabies immunomodulator is administered on the 3rd, 7th, 14th and 28th days, one milliliter each after the first application. The started series of vaccinations can be stopped only when the animal is not found to have rabies.

The question arises, how long does the injection last? In this case, no one will give a definite answer; it all depends on the vaccine itself. One will last for 3 years, the other for 2.

Contraindications

Before prescribing treatment, the doctor should identify contraindications. For example, if a child has a tumor, HIV/AIDS, or side effects from a previous vaccination, immunization must be done very carefully.

Primary prevention is not carried out in case of weakened immunity.
If a hypersensitive reaction develops after immunization, treatment is carried out with antihistamines.

If you have a history of allergy to egg whites, you cannot use antiviral drugs produced on chicken embryos. But in general, there are no significant contraindications.

Occurrence of side effects

There is evidence that at present, a large number of modern vaccines do not cause negative consequences or are extremely rare.

The likelihood of side effects increases with the number of doses used.
Among the main problems are intolerance to certain components of the drug.

Rewind to 32:20 to learn even more about rabies.

In addition, sometimes there are:

trembling in the limbs;
increase in temperature indicators;
pain in the joints;
dizziness;
hives;
abdominal pain;
weakness;
Quincke's edema;
muscle pain;
vomit.

By protecting your pet, we protect ourselves

The anti-rabies drug Nobivak also protects dogs from other common infections. Includes inactivated strain "Pasteur RIV". Produced in the Netherlands. In order to ensure the safety of four-legged family members, it is recommended to vaccinate once a year, because the disease is easily transmitted and cannot be treated. If a person can still be saved by taking timely measures, then an unvaccinated and infected pet is doomed and becomes a threat to the life of its owners.