rabies vaccine at a glance
Medicine class
Inactivated viral vaccine.
Licensed uses
Pre-exposure and post-exposure prevention of rabies in all age groups.
Administration
Given by injection by an appropriately trained healthcare professional.
After possible exposure
Seek medical help immediately, including if previously vaccinated.
What is rabies vaccine used for?
Licensed uses include:
Pre-exposure prevention for people whose travel, work or activities place them at increased risk of rabies.
Post-exposure prevention following a risk-assessed possible contact with rabies virus.
How does rabies vaccine work?
The vaccine presents inactivated rabies virus antigen to the immune system. This stimulates rabies-virus-neutralising antibodies, which can prevent the virus from establishing infection when vaccination and any other indicated post-exposure measures are provided promptly.
How to take rabies vaccine
A healthcare professional reconstitutes the powder with its supplied solvent before injection. It is usually injected into the upper-arm muscle in older children and adults, or the thigh in infants and young children. Appropriately trained professionals may use intradermal administration where official recommendations allow. It must not be injected into the buttock or a blood vessel.
Food does not affect administration.
Tell the vaccinator about allergies, immune-suppressing treatment, bleeding disorders, pregnancy, breastfeeding and previous rabies vaccination.
After possible exposure, wound care and assessment for rabies immunoglobulin may also be required.
rabies vaccine side effects
Common or expected effects
- Pain, redness, itching or swelling at the injection site
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Feeling generally unwell
- Fever
- Swollen lymph nodes
- In infants and young children, irritability, sleepiness or persistent crying
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergic reaction, including facial or throat swelling, breathing difficulty or collapse
- Sudden hearing loss
- Severe or persistent neurological symptoms require urgent assessment
rabies vaccine in pregnancy
Pregnancy data for Verorab are limited. Pre-exposure vaccination may be offered when clearly needed after professional assessment of exposure risk and access to post-exposure care. Pregnancy should not delay indicated post-exposure vaccination.
rabies vaccine while breastfeeding
Rabies vaccination can be given while breastfeeding when indicated. No risk is expected from this inactivated vaccine, although the reason for vaccination should still be assessed by a healthcare professional.
rabies vaccine interactions
Important practical interactions include:
Immunosuppressants, including long-term systemic corticosteroids
They may weaken antibody production and cause vaccine failure, so specialist management and antibody testing may be required.
Chloroquine
It may suppress the response to intradermal pre-exposure vaccination, so that route should be avoided in people taking it.
Human rabies immunoglobulin
When indicated, it must be administered according to specialist guidance and must not be mixed with the vaccine or injected at the same site.
Common questions about rabies vaccine
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Can rabies vaccine cause rabies?
No. The vaccine contains inactivated virus and cannot cause rabies.
Do I need medical help after an animal bite if I have had rabies vaccine?
Yes. Seek medical help immediately because further vaccination or other treatment may still be needed.
Can children have rabies vaccine?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.