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Immunizations - travel vaccinations - Management
What schedule is used for rabies vaccine (pre-exposure)?
- A primary course of immunization should be completed prior to departure. See Table 1 for details.
Table 1. Schedule for rabies (pre-exposure) vaccination.
Vaccine | Schedule | Length of protection | Age range |
|---|
Rabies Vaccine BP | 3 doses: Day 0, 7, and 28. | Reinforcing doses should be given every 2–3 years if at continued risk. | Minimum age not stated by manufacturers. However, vaccine should be considered for children from the age of approximately 1 year. Bites in children may be higher risk as they often occur around the face or head. |
2 doses, given at least 4 weeks apart, are likely to confer protection.* | A reinforcing dose should be given at 6 months if at continued risk, or for longer term protection. |
Rabipur® | 3 doses: Day 0, 7, and 21 or 28. | Reinforcing doses should be given every 2–5 years if at continued risk. | Can be given from any age. Vaccine should be considered for children as bites may be higher risk as they often occur around the face or head. |
* The two dose schedule is suggested as an option in this vaccine datasheet, but is omitted in the Department of Health recommendations. Persons who have not had a three dose of a pre-exposure schedule should be treated as unvaccinated if presenting for post exposure treatment. |
|
Clarification / Additional information
- Anyone bitten or scratched by any animal abroad, or by a bat in the UK, should be advised to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek immediate medical attention, even if they have been previously vaccinated against rabies. If they do not seek immediate medical attention or are unable to access it for any reason whilst they are abroad, they should still seek it when they return to the UK, even if it is sometime after the event.
Basis for recommendation
- These recommendations are based on the published medical literature [NaTHNaC, 2003b; DH, 2006c].
- Maximum immunity occurs after the third dose.
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