Rabies vaccination

A vaccination offering protection against rabies is recommended for people who are felt to be at risk.

Who should bevaccinated?

In the UK,the rabies vaccination is offered to:

• laboratory workers who may be required to handle samples of the rabies virus
• people handling bats
• people working abroad in close contact with animals, such as vets or animal handlers at zoos

Itis also recommended for:

• people travelling to an areafor one month or morewhere rabies is common in animals and there is no access to prompt and safe medical care
• people travelling to an area where rabies is common and taking part inactivities that expose them to rabies, such as trekking in a jungle

The GOV.UKwebsite provides adetailed list of countries that have rabiesin domestic animals or wildlife.

The vaccine

Two rabies vaccines are available in the UK. Vaccination usually requires a course of three doses for protection. The second dose is given seven days after the first. The third dose is given 21 or 28 days after the first, depending on which vaccine is used.

The injections aren't painful and are given into your upper arm. There are usually no serious side effects. Vaccination should be completed before your departure to allow your body time to develop full immunity.

Bat handlers who regularly handle bats are entitled to afree pre-exposure vaccineon the NHS your GP will order this from Public Health England. For other groups,the vaccine is not available on the NHS and should be obtained through their employer's occupational health department.

If you need to pay for the vaccination privately, you can either visit your GP surgery or a travel clinic. The price for the complete course of three doses ranges from 120 to 170.

As a general rule, pregnant women are usually advised to avoid rabies vaccinations. Thevaccine is usually only recommended if the potential risk of exposure to rabies is thought to be high and there is limited access to medical care.

Further doses

For people who continue to be at risk of rabies exposure (because of their job, for example), further doses of the vaccineare needed to maintain immunity.

In thesecases,a single reinforcing dose of vaccine should be given one year after the first courseis completed. Further doses should be given at three- to five-year intervals after that.

Side effects

After having the rabies vaccine, some people experience temporary soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site for 24 to 48 hours after the vaccination. In rare cases, some people may also experience:

• a mild fever
• headache
• muscle aches
• vomiting
• a rash

Severe reactions are very rare.