The Rabies vaccine is important for preventing infections caused by the rabies virus.
This vaccine works by making the body produce antibodies that can protect the body from the rabies virus. Some groups of people who are unlucky to get rabies to need to get vaccinated. This group of people is animal protection workers, rabies laboratory workers, people whose jobs require contact with mammals, also for tourists who frequently visit countries where there is rabies.
Vaccine Doses
According to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), vaccines can be given to people who have never been infected. In people who have never been approved for rabies, there are three doses must be given, given as follows:
Dosage 1: given anytime.
Dosage 2: given seven days after the first dose.
Dosage 3: given 21 or 28 days after the first dose.
Laboratory workers, rabies or who are often contacted with rabies animals, need to do regular checks.
While for those of you who might have to do rabies because of being bitten by rabies, you should immediately buy a wound and immediately consult a doctor. Through several examinations, the doctor will determine whether you still need the rabies vaccine or not. If you’ve been exposed to rabies and haven’t gotten it before, you should get four doses of the vaccine. Details of the timing of the vaccine are as follows:
Dosage 1: given immediately after exposure to rabies.
Dose 2: given the next three days.
Dose 3: given seven days later.
Dose 4: given 14 days later.
Besides, people who have been exposed to rabies must also get another injection, namely Rabies Immune Globulin, which is given concurrently with the first vaccine dose. Almost the same as other types of vaccination, rabies vaccine does not provide guarantees of protection up to 100 percent. However, this vaccine can reduce your risk of reducing rabies by 95 percent. Self-protection for animals that might be protected still has an important role to protect yourself from this deadly virus.
Although the rabies vaccine is important to administer, there are circumstances where the person cannot be vaccinated. For those of you who have a history of drug allergy, are undergoing treatment, have diseases related to immunity, are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should not do the vaccination. It is feared, the vaccine can endanger your health. So consult and tell your doctor about your medical history before vaccinating.
When Should I Get Rabies Vaccine?
There are two types of rabies vaccines available and can be obtained by humans. Both are vaccines to prevent rabies and vaccines given to people who are already infected with this virus. To prevent rabies, there are three doses of vaccine that must be given. One dose vaccine, given the first time the vaccine. Then, a two-dose preventive vaccine, which is given seven days after the first dose is given. Finally, a three-dose vaccine is given 21 days or 28 days after the first dose. In addition to prevention, vaccines are also needed to deal with infecting rabies. The aim is to prevent the virus from spreading and cause other disease complications. Of course, the vaccine for this condition must be under the advice of a doctor. Therefore, do an examination immediately after being bitten by a dog or other animal, especially if after a bite the symptoms appear that lead to rabies virus infection.
Animal Rabies Vaccine
Rabies is a deadly virus that can be transmitted through the saliva of infected animals. Generally, rabies is transmitted to humans through animal bites and can also through scratches, if new animals lick their paws. Some types of animals that can spread the rabies virus include dogs, cats, monkeys, skunks, ferrets, raccoons, to bats. Rabies in pets such as dogs and cats seem to be more aware because these two animals are the most maintained and interact with humans. If you have a dog, you must provide a dog rabies vaccine for your pet. When raising cats, of course, the cat rabies vaccine must also be carried out. The Rabies vaccine is mandatory for all animals that have the potential to spread rabies. The Anti-rabies vaccine in animals aims to prevent the spread of the virus because basically this virus is not deadly to animals. The symptom of rabies in animals is that animals generally become far more aggressive, which is why rabies is often referred to as ‘mad dog’ disease.
Human Rabies Vaccine
In contrast to its effects on animals, rabies will be more dangerous if it nests humans. Rabies causes disorders of the brain and central nervous system so that it can cause death in humans. Symptoms of rabies usually begin with fever, weakness, headaches, pain in bitten parts of the body, anxiety, tingling, nausea and vomiting, muscle tension until muscle paralysis, and behavioral changes that become more aggressive. Until now there has not been found a drug that can overcome rabies, so the steps to overcome it are more focused on preventive measures. Prevention can be done by cleaning wounds from animal bites that have the potential for rabies and providing anti-rabies serum and anti-rabies vaccine.
Who needs the rabies vaccine?
The Rabies vaccine is generally given to humans bitten by potentially rabies animals. The Anti-rabies vaccine is given by following the dose and within a certain period. ]The human rabies vaccine does not always have to use animal bites, but can also be given as early prevention.
It is generally recommended that a rabies vaccine be carried out by people who have a higher risk of being bitten by animals. Examples include people who raise cats and dogs or who have jobs related to these animals. So if you have a dog or cat, not only is a dog and cat rabies vaccine needed, but you should also do an anti-rabies vaccine as prevention.
Doses of human rabies vaccine
The rabies vaccine dose is as many as 5 injections given over 21 days period. The first dose is given immediately after being bitten and the second dose is given on the seventh day after the bite. Whereas the third dose and so on are given between the 14th day, 21st and 28th day of being bitten. If you have previously had the rabies vaccine, then the dose given after being bitten is different. The dose is 2 injections and given within 3 days, namely on the day when bitten and the third day thereafter. In addition to being vaccinated, an anti-rabies serum is needed to prevent the virus from spreading quickly. The Serum will prevent the development of the virus before the vaccine antibodies are formed. The anti-rabies serum dose is around 20-40 IU for every kilogram of body weight.
Price of rabies vaccine for humans
The price of the rabies vaccine for humans varies, depending on the clinic or hospital providing it. However, the average price of an anti-rabies vaccine is around IDR 250,000 – IDR 300,000. If the price offered is much cheaper or more expensive than the nominal value, then it is worth it to be suspected.
Better not be tempted by cheap prices, given the rise of fake vaccine cases lately. Preferably to the nearest certified medical clinic such as Unicare Clinic.