Rabies vaccination for humans. Indications and contraindications for rabies vaccination

Rabies is a deadly disease, against which any doctors are powerless if the infected person has not previously undergone a course of vaccinations against this incurable virus.

How the rabies vaccine works

To ensure maximum life safety in the event of a potential threat of rabies infection, it is necessary to complete a full course of vaccination. It consists of six vaccinations over ninety days. At the same time, it is important to clearly know and follow all the recommendations of doctors during the vaccination period and for some time after its end. This issue should under no circumstances be treated negligently, since you will be injected with a vaccine of a deadly virus.

The principle of action of rabies vaccination is determined by two drugs used for vaccination:

● Rabies vaccine

● Anti-rabies immunoglobulin

These drugs have fundamentally different effects on the body. But they are mutually indispensable for a successful vaccination result in case of severe bites or in case of delayed consultation with a doctor.

The rabies vaccine is a non-living copy of the real virus. Therefore, it is not capable of causing any harm to the body. Its task is to familiarize the immune system with the identifying marks of the virus, its antigens. Thanks to the information read from antigens, the immune system learns to produce special proteins that will subsequently protect you from infection. These proteins are called antibodies. But in order to remember all the information and develop active immunity to the disease for a period of at least one year, the immune system will need about two weeks.

In some cases, it is strictly forbidden to leave the body vulnerable to a deadly virus during these several weeks. Then anti-rabies immunoglobulin is used. Its task is to immediately protect the body from disease using passive immunity, but for a short time. Rabies immunoglobulin is a ready-made concentrated antibody. Immunoglobulin is obtained from donor blood, which already contains these antibodies. To do this, the donor himself must first undergo a full course of rabies vaccinations.

There are several types of immunoglobulins:

● Homologous immunoglobulin. The donor is a person.

● Heterologous immunoglobulin. The blood of an animal is used, most often horses.

It is preferable to use human immunoglobulin, as it is safer and requires significantly lower doses due to its high efficiency. The danger of heterologous immunoglobulin is that it can cause more serious side effects and complications. There is a danger of an immune conflict arising against the background of rejection of a protein foreign to the human body. The consequences of such a conflict may be as follows:

● In 15-20% of 100, serum sickness occurs. The symptoms of this disease are identical to an allergic reaction, but the danger is that it can become severe.

● Anaphylactic shock is extremely rare. But people at high risk of such a complication should be as careful as possible, because the mortality rate for anaphylactic shock reaches 2%. Therefore, before administering immunoglobulin, doctors are required to take an analysis to determine sensitivity to a foreign protein.

Thus, only rabies vaccine is used for a preventive course of rabies vaccinations. Sometimes specialists limit themselves only to the vaccine in cases where a potential patient has suffered from a mild bite and there is confidence that the disease will not develop during the formation of active immunity. But in cases where the bite victim consulted a doctor later than 10 days after the incident, or in cases of severe bites, rabies immunoglobulin must be administered along with the rabies vaccine.

Alcohol during rabies vaccination

The full course of rabies vaccinations lasts for three months. Despite the fact that the intervals between vaccinations are sometimes quite long, during this entire time any alcoholic drinks are strictly contraindicated. At the same time, their strength and quantity does not matter at all. Moreover, doctors strongly recommend avoiding alcohol even for the next nine months after completing the vaccination course. There are understandable reasons for such serious precautions. Any vaccine is a virus in its reduced, neutralized form. The rabies vaccine is no exception, which is why it is not fatal. But alcohol can provoke unpredictable and irreversible changes within the injected virus. It can both reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine and, conversely, increase the pathogenicity of the virus so much that it enters a very real active stage. And in the case of rabies vaccination, we are talking about a deadly risk.

In addition to its direct impact on the vital activity of the virus, alcohol can provoke or intensify the manifestation of side effects from vaccination. If we talk about the rabies vaccine, it can give local reactions in the form of swelling, induration, redness and pain at the vaccination site, as well as the following general reactions:

● Severe increase in body temperature

● Chills, weakness, dizziness

● Enlarged lymph nodes

● Migraines, joint and muscle pain

● Trembling in the arms and legs

● Gastrointestinal disorders (vomiting, bloating, abdominal pain)

● Rarely: allergic reactions such as urticaria, Quincke's edema

Drinking alcohol during vaccination can significantly worsen all of these side effects. In addition, the explosive combination of alcohol and vaccines can lead to the emergence and development of quite serious diseases. There were cases of complications in the form of encephalitis and even ascending paralysis of Lyandri. To assess the danger of these diseases, just look at the real statistics. Considering cases of these diseases specifically as a result of complications after vaccination, 25% of deaths were identified from encephalitis, even from its mild forms, and 100% mortality from Lyandri paralysis. Often, alcohol along with rabies vaccination leads to all sorts of disorders of the vital systems of the body. The most common are neurological diseases and mental disorders, including epiletptiform seizures.

It is no coincidence that alcohol is prohibited for consumption in parallel with many medications. The effect of alcoholic drinks on the body is always unpredictable, so why risk your health once again. This is especially true for any vaccinations, because vaccination always involves the introduction of a virus, albeit in safe quantities. At a time when the body develops immunity against a deadly virus such as rabies, drinking alcohol becomes extremely dangerous, because not only your health, but also your life is at risk.

Many people have found themselves in situations where contact with a wild animal or small rodent resulted in a bite. And the unpleasant incident was not always limited to pain at the site of the bite and unpleasant memories. Many wild or stray animals have rabies, which means that a deadly virus that can be fatal enters the human body with saliva. Only an anti-rabies vaccine (rabies vaccination) can save a life in such a situation.

Modern medicine has 2 types of vaccines in its arsenal. The first is used to prevent bites from rabid animals, and is prescribed to zoo workers, veterinarians, and people who want to insure themselves against possible infection. The second vaccine is called rabies serum and is administered in emergency cases after an animal has bitten a person. But even understanding the need for such vaccinations, many people wonder about the side effects of vaccination and try to find out from the doctor what the state of the body is after the rabies vaccination. Let's look at this issue in detail.

The need for rabies vaccination

According to WHO statistics, more than 35,000 people a year die from infection with the Rabies virus or rabies virus. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of people suffering from this infection are residents of underdeveloped countries, where medicine does not control the vaccination of people and animals against this terrible disease. On the contrary, in countries such as Great Britain and Germany, where the state cares about the safety of its citizens, the level of infection with this virus is practically reduced to zero.

Side effects of the vaccine

Any vaccination may be accompanied by unpleasant conditions. Rabies vaccination also does not exclude the occurrence of side effects. True, when an infected animal has already bitten a person, the decision should be clear - vaccinate urgently, because we are talking about saving a person’s life. But in the case of preventive vaccination, many are overcome by doubts about the advisability of such actions and the main argument against vaccination is side effects. Let us list the possible reactions of the body.

Reactions to preventive vaccination

Local reactions

Considering that preventive injections against rabies are given 3 times, and in case of infection, the serum is administered as many as 5 times (and the injections are placed in different places), the occurrence of local reactions is possible. Usually everything is limited to mild itching, redness, thickening and swelling of the injection site. Such reactions do not cause much discomfort and disappear within 3-4 days.

General reactions

The introduction of the vaccine sometimes causes general reactions of the body, manifested in the form of weakness and drowsiness, trembling in the limbs, fever, headache, muscle or joint pain. Digestive disorders (diarrhea, constipation or flatulence) are often troubling.

Allergic manifestations

Much less often, the body reacts to the introduction of a vaccine with allergic manifestations such as urticaria or angioedema. This is usually experienced by people with a predisposition to allergic reactions. If such unpleasant symptoms occur, it is enough to consult a doctor who will prescribe one of the suitable antihistamines (Claritin, Suprastin, Zyrtec, Fenkarol and others).

Reactions to the administration of rabies serum

The body tolerates the administration of serum much more difficultly in cases where the bite has already occurred and it is necessary to obtain immunity from the rabies virus before infection occurs. In addition to the reactions described above, the administration of this serum may be accompanied by the following conditions:

• serum sickness (approximately 20% of cases) - a condition similar to allergies, but with a more severe course;
• Guillain-Barré syndrome (in 5% of cases) is a disease in which the sensitivity of the limbs is impaired. This disease goes away after 2-3 months;
• anaphylactic shock (0.05% of cases) is an acute allergic reaction that threatens the patient’s life.

As you can see, the state of the body after a rabies vaccination can be accompanied by severe reactions, but only in cases where there is a threat to human life. As for the prevention of infection, such vaccination in most cases proceeds without any troubles, so you should not treat it with caution. Good health to you!

Rabies is an infectious disease for which there is no effective treatment. Unfortunately, rabies currently cannot be treated therapeutically, and therefore leads to the inevitable death of the sick person. The only way to avoid infection is timely vaccination. Therefore, in order to save your life, it is extremely necessary to get vaccinated against rabies on time.

Do I need to be vaccinated against rabies?

The main source of the virus is wild and domestic animals. Infection occurs after a bite if the saliva of an infected animal enters the bloodstream. Rabies is a disease with a 100% fatal outcome. The only method of preventing the death of an infected person is the administration of an anti-rabies vaccine. So, why do you need to be vaccinated against rabies?

The vaccine is an effective way to prevent rabies in humans. The need for its creation is expressed in the following:

• preventing the development of rabies in the body after the bite of an infected animal, since the risk of this disease in our time remains very high;
• Since the disease is incurable, vaccination is a reliable way to prevent death after infection through the bite of a rabid animal.

Unfortunately, the rabies virus lives everywhere. It is found from time to time in different parts of the world, so absolutely all people have a risk of getting sick. Vaccination against rabies is especially necessary for hunters and travelers, since their activities involve visiting wild nature.

In what cases is rabies vaccination indicated?

A vaccine against rabies in humans, despite the long history of its existence, remains today the only option for high-quality prevention of rabies infection. Among the categories of the population for which mandatory vaccination is indicated, doctors identify:

• employees of veterinary stations and services for working with wild and pet animals;
• employees of the service for catching homeless representatives of the animal world;
• laboratory technicians, due to the nature of their professional activities, may personally encounter the causative agent of the disease;
• slaughterhouse attendants;
• people engaged in hunting, making stuffed wild animals;
• foresters;
• people who have been bitten by a suspicious or unknown animal;
• travelers.

In the national vaccination schedule, anti-rabies injection is listed as a recommended procedure. It will be mandatory only after a bite, an announcement of an unfavorable epidemiological situation in the region, as well as in the above categories of people.

Are there any contraindications for rabies?

As has already become clear, the indications for the use of the vaccine will be the bite of a sick animal or the desire of a person to instill immunity against rabies. It is known that people often develop side effects following the administration of the drug, but they do not constitute a contraindication to its further use in case of emergency. And yet, who is contraindicated for rabies vaccination?

An immune drug that prevents rabies is the only vaccine in the world; it is administered regardless of the presence of contraindications. It is prescribed to pregnant women and children under 16 years of age, if necessary for health reasons. In cases where an adult or child has been bitten by an infected animal, an injection of anti-rabies serum is given no matter what.

Rabies immunization schedule

It is advisable to use the vaccine only during the incubation period of the disease. It is believed that administering the solution two weeks after the bite is ineffective, and its use after the appearance of clinical symptoms of the disease does not make sense.

Routine immunization of the population against rabies includes the following:

• first injection of immune suspension;
• re-vaccination seven days later;
• fixative injection on the 30th day;
• revaccination after a year and then every three years.

As a result of routine vaccine therapy, a person’s body develops stable immunity, which lasts for three years.

Among the main stages of emergency vaccination are:

• the first injection – immediately after the animal’s bite;
• the second time - the third day after the first injection;
• the third time - in a week;
• fourth time - after 14 days;
• the fifth time - in a month.

Today, rabies vaccinations are no longer administered into the subcutaneous fat in the abdominal area. To do this, use the deltoid zone (outer edge of the shoulder). In addition, thanks to modern technologies, scientists were able to create a well-purified vaccine; it is administered five times, and not 20-40, as was the case during the Soviet Union.

Occurrence of side effects

An anti-rabies immunodrug that promotes the production of antibodies against rabies is quite well tolerated by the body. Despite this, there are cases when its administration provokes the development of side effects, in particular:

• symptoms of local inflammation at the injection site, which are manifested by the formation of local swelling, the appearance of itching and redness, and painful sensations;
• signs of general intoxication in the form of dizziness, headaches and nausea;
• local increase in the size of peripheral lymph nodes;
• extremely rarely, a person may experience pain in the abdominal area;
• slight increase in body temperature;
• pain in areas of muscle tissue projection;
• an allergic reaction to the ingestion of an anti-rabies suspension, which will be the result of individual intolerance to the components of the drug;
• dysfunctions of the nervous system, which are manifested by disorders of motor function and sensitivity, weakness of the peripheral nerves.

When a person is vaccinated with rabies, the doctor must warn about possible undesirable effects after vaccination. All of the listed consequences of immunization disappear without a trace after a few days and do not require drug correction.

Types of Rabies Vaccines

According to legislative acts, vaccination against a pathological process can be done in almost every medical institution. In rural areas, after contact with a stray animal, it is necessary to contact a rural outpatient clinic or first aid station. In large cities, you can protect yourself from infection in a clinic, emergency room, infectious diseases department, or surgery.

As of today, there are several options for vaccines used against rabies:

• dry inactivated rabies vaccine;
• the domestic vaccine, under the trade name "", is a purified anti-rabies drug from a culture of the pathogen;
• the Indian vaccine “Indirab” is distinguished by its availability;
• the more expensive German vaccine Rabipur;
• Russian vaccine "Kav", containing small doses of an immune solution, and therefore very often used.

In addition to vaccines, the modern market offers patients rabies immunoglobulin as an addition to the main drug. It is highly purified and can be human as well as equine.

Answers to some frequently asked questions

Very often, patients ask doctors about the effectiveness of the vaccine, its compatibility with other drugs, as well as adverse reactions from the body and the rules for administering injections. Among the questions. The ones that most often concern patients include:

1. How long is the incubation period of the disease and when will you need to get vaccinated to avoid getting sick? The asymptomatic period of the disease can last from several days to a year. It all depends on the supporting function of the body, the amount of virus that has entered it and the favorable environment for its reproduction. To save yourself from the disease, a person should be vaccinated in the first days after the bite incident. Otherwise, immunization will be ineffective.
2. Is there a need for vaccination if a vaccinated dog bites? If the fact of immunization of an animal is documented and it has no symptoms of the disease, then vaccination is not necessary. You just need to treat the wound with an antiseptic and, if necessary, consult a doctor.
3. Does a person injured by an unvaccinated domestic cat need vaccination? Doctors insist on vaccinating all people who have suffered from pet bites, regardless of how they were kept, age or breed characteristics.
4. A child was bitten by a dog on the street. Should he be vaccinated? Definitely yes! In any case, it is always better to play it safe than to risk the baby’s life.
5. Is it necessary to observe post-vaccination quarantine? After vaccination, the patient does not need isolation, but experts prefer to monitor him for another 2 weeks after the procedure. Also, you should not appear in very crowded places due to the risk of infection. Naturally, you should not deny yourself walks, but only if they do not take place in severe frost or heat.
6. ? The introduction of an anti-rabies drug does not include a ban on water procedures, with the exception of swimming in natural bodies of water. Since a vaccinated person has a weakened immune system, it is better for him to avoid crowded places.
7. Can I drink alcohol after immunization? Categorically no! Alcohol is not compatible with the vaccine suspension, so after its administration it will not be possible to drink even minimal amounts of drinks containing alcohol. This prohibition arose as a result of the fact that alcohol significantly reduces the likelihood of a full and adequate immune response, since it itself is an immunosuppressant. You should not drink alcohol for 2-6 months after the injection.
8. Is course interruption serious? How will this affect the immune system? The established vaccination schedule cannot be interrupted. If this happens, it is important to remember that vaccine therapy is now ineffective. The course can be continued only if a person missed one day. In other scenarios, the patient should consult a doctor.

You won't surprise anyone with a stray dog ​​in the city. Especially in the spring, when it’s time for a “dog wedding.” Despite the fact that utility workers organize the capture of animals, many run away and hide.

In addition, some of them are quite aggressive, and on occasion they can bite an adult or even a child. It is not a fact that the animal will be rabid, but in order to be sure of this, it needs to be observed for some time. And this is not always possible.

Therefore, to prevent such a dangerous and fatal disease without treatment as rabies, it is necessary to undergo a course of rabies vaccine. Where are rabies injections given? After all, just a decade ago they scared children, don’t touch the dog, they will give you 40 injections in the stomach! But what is the situation now?

Rabies

To become infected with this disease, the virus must enter the bloodstream from a sick animal. As a rule, this occurs through a bite, since infected animals are not particularly friendly. Almost any animal, both domestic and wild, can get sick. These are cats, dogs, wolves, basement rats, and even bats. So infected foxes begin to come out of the forest towards people and come quite close, which is not typical for a wild animal.

Therefore, with bites and a fearful question about where rabies injections are given, people who, due to their professional duties, often communicate with animals, most often turn to the doctor. These are rangers, veterinarians, trainers, hunters, slaughterhouse workers and those who catch stray animals, as well as residents of villages and towns located near the forest.

After a bite and penetration of the virus into the blood, the disease does not manifest itself immediately. The incubation period lasts for 1–8 weeks.

The closer the bite is to the face and to the center of the body, the faster rabies develops. Deep and ragged bites are also dangerous. A small bite or salivation of a wound on the extremities is more favorable for the prognosis.

By the way, the majority of those bitten become infected with the virus (from 20 to 90%), but not all.

What to do if you are bitten?

1. Wash the wound under running water and soap.

3. If the wound is severe, then you need to call an ambulance so that, in addition to the rabies vaccine, painkillers are administered, the bite is treated and an antiseptic bandage is applied.

4. If a pet is bitten, it is quarantined and observed. No walks or contact with other people or animals, only feeding. Over the next 10 days, a sick animal will begin to show aggressiveness, fear of hydrophobia, and then die.

Some sources advise not to inject until the animal is dead. But his illness can last for 10 days, and the incubation period in some cases lasts a week, and the vaccine is effective even before the first signs of rabies appear. If they appear before treatment, the prognosis worsens significantly.

Where are rabies injections given?

Over the past decade, science has come a long way, and 40 injections in the stomach are no longer necessary. Six injections are enough to be sure that the virus is defeated.

The first injection is given immediately after the patient’s initial visit. The second - on the 3rd day, the third - on the 7th, the fourth - on the 14th, the fifth - on the 30th, the last - on the 90th. Where are rabies injections given? Nowadays they are no longer given in the stomach; the injection is intramuscular; it can be done in the buttock or in the deltoid muscle of the shoulder.

The number of injections depends on how dangerous the bite is. If it is small, located far from the face and body, and it is also possible to observe a sick animal, then perhaps the doctor will limit himself to prescribing three injections. In other conditions, all 6 injections are indicated.

Vaccination helps the body produce antibodies against the rabies virus. In parallel with this, during the first three days, ready-made anti-rabies immunoglobulin is additionally administered.

When indicated, everyone is vaccinated, even pregnant women. Alcohol consumption is prohibited during the rabies vaccine injection.

When does a vaccine not help?

There are cases when emergency preventive measures do not produce results. This.

According to WHO, more than 55 thousand people die from rabies every year. There is no other way to protect against this disease other than vaccinations. What complications are possible if the rabies vaccine is combined with alcohol consumption, how will this affect the immune system? Will the risk of infection increase?

Rabies vaccinations

The rabies virus Rabies virus is transmitted to humans from infected animals through saliva, blood, and there are even cases of transmission of the virus by inhalation of air containing viruses, food, through the placenta to the fetus in pregnant women.

The rabies virus is deadly. There is no treatment for this infectious disease; in 100% of cases, infection leads to death. The only reliable remedy is prevention. For this purpose, everyone who has been bitten is given an anti-rabies vaccine - only 6 injections.

The vaccine must be administered as quickly as possible to stay ahead of the spread of the virus. As soon as the virus enters the brain, it causes paralysis of the centers of breathing and heartbeat. When symptoms of infection appear, modern medicine is not able to help the patient.

Vaccinations should begin within the first 3 days after an animal attack. Vaccinations are given at 0, 3, 7, 14, 30, 90 days after treatment. Immunity is developed in humans for 1 year.

The vaccine has no contraindications, since the risk of death outweighs the risk of any possible complications. The rabies vaccine is given even to pregnant women and infants, the elderly, and newborns. But is it possible to drink alcohol during the vaccination period?

If the bitten animal does not die 10 days after the bite, then there is no need to worry about infection. The animal becomes infectious 7-10 days before death. And if the animal that attacked a person remains alive after this period, then it does not suffer from rabies. In this case, the course of vaccinations is stopped early.

The effect of alcohol on vaccination results

Restrictions on alcohol intake during vaccination with rabies vaccine exist only in the regulatory documentation of the Russian Federation. The WHO recommendations regarding the use of alcohol during rabies vaccinations do not contain any prohibitive instructions, but does this mean that they can be combined?

Of course, doctors do not recommend that victims of a bite celebrate this sad event by drinking a heavy dose of alcohol. Alcoholic drinks have a negative effect even on a completely healthy person, especially if they are not useful if the person has been seriously injured by an animal attack.

Moreover, it is not worth the risk that there is no effective treatment for the disease. The only way to stay alive if bitten by a rabid animal is to get vaccinated without breaking the schedule, carefully monitoring all changes in the body.

The ineffectiveness of drug treatment for rabies infection is explained by the fact that the virus attacks the nervous tissue, spreading from the site of the bite to the brain. The time of the first symptoms and the likelihood of infection depends on the location of the lesion. If a person is bitten on the face or neck, symptoms of infection may appear in a person within 5 days.

According to the instructions of the Russian Federation, it is inadmissible to drink alcohol during the period of vaccination for people and for another 6 months after the last vaccination. Which is a total of over 9 months.

So why can't you combine? Such recommendations are explained by the possibility of a general and local allergic reaction.

The vaccine itself, when administered, can cause the following consequences:

• swelling, itching;
• dizziness;
• pain in joints, muscles;
• vomiting;
• pain, discomfort in the stomach.

And the most dangerous consequence of the administration of serum is the possibility of anaphylactic shock - an instantly developing allergic response of the body that can lead to death.

If a person drinks alcohol after vaccination, these symptoms may be masked. There is a danger of not seeing and overlooking the appearance of dangerous symptoms that threaten the life of the victim if vaccination is compatible with alcohol consumption.

And, although the risk of anaphylactic shock is only 0.00001%, it exists. And the high mortality rate of this complication (up to 2%) should stop a person and force him to abstain from drinking alcohol.

Another dangerous complication of rabies vaccinations can be Quincke's edema. This allergic reaction occurs more often (up to 3%) than anaphylactic shock, and is also very dangerous, threatening the life of the victim.

If a drunk person is bitten by a stray animal, you cannot wait until the victim sobers up.

It is necessary to provide immediate assistance to him:

• take measures to sober up - rinse the stomach, give enterosorbents, detoxify using a dropper with a glucose-saline solution;
• administer rabies vaccine to prevent rabies.

Consequences

The duration of action of each vaccine administration on the body is 10 days. During rabies vaccinations, side effects such as allergies, vomiting, and headaches occur.

Taking products containing alcohol at this time can intensify symptoms, cause a deterioration in the victim’s condition, and exacerbation of chronic diseases. During vaccination, alcohol can mask the symptoms of severe allergic reactions, as well as symptoms of infection.