Rabies Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Regimen
Animal Bites and Rabies Risk:
A Guide for Health Professionals

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Rabies Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Regimen
Who should receive rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis?
Pre-exposure rabies vaccination series
Antibody titers and booster vaccination
Laboratories offering RFFIT rabies antibody titer testing

Rabies Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Regimen

Pre-exposure vaccination against rabies simplifies the rabies post-exposure treatment, and it may protect in cases of unrecognized rabies exposure or when post-exposure treatment is delayed. It does not eliminate the need for appropriate treatment following a known rabies virus exposure.

Who should receive rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis?

• Veterinarians, veterinary technicians, animal control officers, wildlife rehabilitators, zoo employees, certain laboratory workers, and others who have regular contact with potentially rabid animal species.
  
• International travelers to areas with endemic canine rabies who are likely to come into contact with dogs or wild animals and where access to medical care and appropriate biologics may be limited.

Pre-exposure rabies vaccination series

• Two 1.0 mL doses of rabies vaccine are given IM, one injection per day, on days 0 and 7 in the deltoid area of adults or in the anterolateral thigh of young children.
  
• Human diploid cell vaccine (HDVC) or purified chick embryo cell vaccine (PCEC) may be used, although it is recommended that the vaccine series be initiated and completed with the same vaccine product.
  
• No HRIG should be given.

Antibody titers and booster vaccination

Laboratories offering RFFIT rabies antibody titer testing

Both require 2.0 mL serum.

Rabies Laboratory
Kansas State University
2005 Research Park Circle
Manhattan, KS 66502
785-532-4483

Testing at KSU may also be requested through Quest Labs
as Rabies Vaccine Response End Point Titer (order # 5789)

Atlanta Health Associates
309 Pirkle Rd, Suite D-300
Cummings, GA 30040
1-800-717-5612