Do I need the rabies vaccine? when to do it?

Rabies or better known as mad dog disease can cause paralysis or even death. The rabies virus is transmitted when a person is bitten by an animal that has been infected with the virus before. Initially, rabies did not show severe symptoms, but if left untreated it can cause death. To be free from the dangers of this virus, you can rely on the rabies vaccine.

Who needs rabies vaccine?

Rabies is a zoonotic disease (of animal origin) caused by lyssavirus infection. This viral infection attacks the human nervous system which then moves to the brain.

Although rabies does not cause symptoms at first, it almost always has fatal consequences once symptoms appear.

Therefore, everyone should get the anti-rabies vaccine. However, people who are at high risk of being infected with the rabies virus are strongly advised to get vaccinated.

People who are susceptible to infection are people whose profession is in direct contact with animals. The groups at risk who need to get the rabies vaccine are:

• Veterinarian
• Animal breeder
• Laboratory workers or researchers whose research involves animals that can be infected with rabies
• People traveling to rabies endemic areas

In addition, people who have been bitten by animals - especially dogs, rats and wild animals - both those who are known to be infected with rabies and those who are not infected also need to get vaccines.

In handling animal bites, the rabies vaccine can prevent symptoms of rabies which can lead to neurological disorders and paralysis.

Two types of antirabies vaccines (VAR)

Reporting from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, there are two types of anti-rabies vaccines (VAR), namely Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). Both of these vaccines can provide immunity against rabies for years.

The difference between the two is the timing of the vaccine. One vaccine is used to prevent a viral infection, and the other to anticipate symptoms after you've been exposed to the virus.

PrEP: a vaccine for early prevention

The PrEP vaccine is a preventive vaccination given before exposure to or infection with the rabies virus. This vaccine is useful in forming antibodies so that the body's immunity is able to fight rabies virus infection from the start.

The groups of people most at risk of exposure to the rabies virus need to get the PrEP vaccine. For effective rabies prevention, there are 3 doses of PrEP vaccine that must be given, namely:

• Dosage 1: Given according to the doctor's appointment schedule
• Dose 2: Given 7 days after dose 1
• Dosage 3: Given 21 days or 28 days after dose 1

The dose of this vaccine may be increased if you are among people who are at very high risk of being infected with the rabies virus.

PEP: vaccine after being infected with a virus

Vaccine injection also needs to be done immediately after a person is exposed to the rabies virus. The doctor will inject the PEP vaccine after cleaning wounds caused by animal bites such as rats, dogs and bats.

This is intended to prevent the virus from spreading further and causing dangerous rabies symptoms such as nerve damage and paralysis.

The number of doses of antirabies vaccine given post-infection for each person may vary, depending on whether the patient has received the PrEP vaccine or not.

Usually, someone who has been exposed to the rabies virus and has never been vaccinated, must get 4 doses of anti-rabies vaccine, with the following conditions.

• Immediate dosage: given immediately after you have been bitten by an animal or have been exposed to the rabies virus.
• Additional dosage: given on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th day after the dose is given immediately.

Someone who has previously been vaccinated against PrEP requires 2 doses of the PEP anti-rabies vaccine.

• Immediate dosage: given immediately after exposure to the rabies virus.
• Additional dosage: given 3 days after the dose is given immediately.

According to studies from journals Clinical Medicine , a rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) injection is also required at the stage of immediate dosing. RIG is able to neutralize the rabies virus in the body and provide effective protection for 7-10 days.

However, patients who have received the complete PrEP vaccine (3 doses of vaccine) no longer need the rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) injection.

Although vaccination can still be done after being infected with the rabies virus, prevention of the dangers of rabies through vaccines is still more effective before you are infected.

Are there any side effects from the rabies vaccine?

In general, there are no significant side effects from the anti-rabies vaccine. After doing the vaccine, usually some mild side effects appear, but the disorder can subside on its own.

The side effects of the antirabies vaccine that may arise include:

• Pain, swelling, redness in the area of ​​the skin that was vaccinated
• Headache
• Stomach ache
• Muscle aches
• Joint pain
• Fever
• Itchy spots on the skin

Serious side effects from anti-rabies vaccines are rare. However, there are some conditions that prevent you from getting this vaccine, such as:

• Have an allergy to the drug ingredients in the vaccine.
• Have HIV / AIDS or cancer.
• Take drugs that have a weakening effect on the immune system.
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If this happens to you, you should first consult your doctor before getting the rabies vaccine.

Rabies vaccine for animals

Protection from the rabies virus vaccine should also be given to pets at risk of infection such as dogs and cats. This includes efforts to prevent rabies in humans.

Vaccination for pets can be started when the animal is less than 3 months old for 1 dose of vaccine. The next dose will be given when the age is more than 3 months. After that, 1 further dose of vaccine (booster) will be given once annually.

Anti-rabies vaccine is not only useful for protection before infection, but also for prevention after infection.

Given that rabies can have serious consequences, including a high risk of death, getting a vaccine is far better for your health than contracting this infectious disease.