What should you know about the rabies vaccine?

Rabies is a serious infection that can follow the bite, scratch, or saliva contact of an infected mammal. Vaccination helps the immune system recognise the virus. Pre-exposure vaccination may be discussed by people whose work, travel, or animal contact creates a predictable risk; it does not remove the need for assessment after an exposure.

After a possible exposure, care may include wound cleaning, a vaccine series, and—when clinically indicated—rabies immunoglobulin. The decision depends on the animal, the contact, the wound, and local public-health advice.

Wash a bite or scratch promptly with soap and running water, then seek urgent medical advice. Do not wait for symptoms: once rabies symptoms develop, treatment is far more difficult. If the animal is available, do not handle it; share details of the species, location, behaviour, and time of contact with the clinician.

A clinician can decide whether you need rabies post-exposure prophylaxis and explain the timing of each dose. Keep every appointment and tell the team about pregnancy, immune conditions, allergies, and previous rabies vaccination.

Seek emergency care immediately for a bite or scratch from a bat or unfamiliar mammal, saliva entering broken skin or the eyes, or any exposure that cannot be reliably assessed. Go urgently for a deep wound, uncontrolled bleeding, or signs of infection such as spreading redness, increasing swelling, pus, or fever.

Ask whether your contact counts as an exposure, whether you need post-exposure prophylaxis, which vaccine schedule applies, and whether wound care or rabies immunoglobulin is needed.