Rabies Vaccination - CHanges Proposed By WHO

Recently WHO proposed new guide lines about rabies vaccinations both before travel (preexposure) and after a mammal bite (post exposure.) They have shortened pretravel/ preexposure vaccinations from 3 doses over a month to 2 doses a week apart. This is cheaper obviously and uses less vaccine (important factors in WHO’s considerations) and easier allowing people to do the 2 doses in only a week rather than a month. The doses may be intramuscular or into the skin (intra dermal) with intradermal needing injections at 2 sites each dose.  At the recent Asia Pacific Travel Health Conference in Bangkok it was interesting to hear how other countries are responding to the proposed change.  There remains anxiety that while 2 doses get people protected for their upcoming trip the information on how long in to the future people will be boostable (respond to boosters after a bite) is uncertain. It seems at this time doctors in America and UK will continue to give 3 doses pretravel so that people can be sure they are protected for future trips.
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