When is rabies vaccine necessary? Indications, contraindications and side effects

A pet is vaccinated against rabies every year. Only in this case it can be expected that the pet will not catch itself and will not endanger the people nearby. After all, the disease is incurable, if rabies has developed - no one will help either the dog or the person. As for people, they do not need annual prophylaxis, the vaccine is used only as an emergency measure: if an animal is bitten that is suspected of being contagious.

The disease causes the viruses of the genus Lyssavirus family Rhabdovirida. It is transported most often by wild animals, in particular by bats. The causative agent enters the blood along with the carrier's saliva and affects the nerve cells of the spinal cord and brain. The result is acute encephalitis, which leads to death in a week - one and a half from the beginning of the manifestation of the disease. The cause of death is respiratory arrest. The incubation period can be either short (10 days) or long (up to 7 weeks).

Today, rabies vaccination is a widespread measure, and most pet owners regularly vaccinate them against the virus, so wild, stray dogs remain the main source of infection. In developing countries outbreaks occur more often than in civilized ones. Vaccination of people is performed according to statistics about 10-12 million times a year, about 35 thousand people die as a result of rabies. Most often these are children.

History of creation

Vaccination against rabies was invented by a scientist from France named Louis Pasteur more than a hundred years ago - in 1885 - on the basis of a weakened virus. In the 80s of last century, researchers created a new, inactivated vaccine, more effective and safe. After its introduction, the patient develops a stable immunity, and if the virus begins to develop, immediately antibodies are released that inactivate it and prevent the disease.

When a rabies vaccine is used

As a preventive measure, the rabies vaccine is used in people who live in places where the epidemic of the disease is observed, and also immediately after the bite of an unknown animal. If the animal is known, then it is determined whether it is vaccinated, if not, an analysis is made for the content of the virus in the blood. An aggressive animal is euthanized and the substance of the brain is checked - this analysis is more reliable.

Do vaccinations from rabies to the person bitten by his own pet?

If the dog or cat is vaccinated, and the attack is provoked by the owner himself, then the probability of infection with rabies is practically nonexistent. If, during the observation of the animal in the next few days, no strangeness in behavior is detected, then there is nothing to fear.

If the four-legged friend is not vaccinated, and besides had every chance to get infected from wild animals, then prophylaxis is necessary for a person.

Contraindications to rabies vaccine

- the state of immune deficiency;

- the presence of tumors;

- complications in previous vaccinations

Side effects

Like any treatment, the vaccination against rabies has its own side reactions:

- local manifestations after the injection: pain, swelling, redness (up to 74% of those ingested)

- headache and muscle pain, nausea, discomfort in the abdomen, dizziness (up to 40% of those ingested)

The following complications are more rare:

- pain in the joints, hives and fever (6%);

- flaccid paresis, vegetative disorders, sensitivity disorders (Barre syndrome). It occurs extremely rarely and completely without trace after 3 months.

The constituents of the preparation can cause an allergic reaction of varying degrees of danger. For example, children who react with an allergy to egg white, you can not inject a virus grown on chick embryos. For any complication from vaccination, it is necessary to accurately record the date, time and circumstances of its occurrence and contact this doctor with this information.