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rabies vaccine

Killed (Inactivated) viral vaccine · Vaccine for rabies

Killed (Inactivated) viral vaccineVaccine for rabies
CDSCO approved
EXCRETION
—
not curated
INTERACTIONS
—
none in our sources
PREGNANCY
—
not curated

Mechanism

Rabies vaccines contain inactivated rabies virus that induces an immune response. Specific types include: Antirabic vaccine carbolized (Neural tissue vaccine - NTV, 5% suspension of sheep brain substance with carbolic acid fixed rabies virus); Purified chick embryo cell vaccine (PCEV, Flury-LEP strain grown on chick fibroblasts, inactivated by β-propiolactone); Human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV, lyophilized inactivated rabies virus grown in human diploid cell culture); Purified vero cell rabies vaccine (PVRV, inactivated wistar rabies PM/WI38-1-503-3M strain grown on vero continuous cell line).

Indications

Post-exposure prophylaxis in nonimmunised animal-bite cases suspected to have been exposed to the rabies virusPre-exposure prophylaxis for veterinary workers and animal handlers at high risk of animal bitesPost-exposure prophylaxis in already vaccinated subjects bitten by a suspected animalActive immunization for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) of rabies after animal exposure.

Dosing

Adult
Post-exposure prophylaxis (non-immunized, Thai regimen): 0.1 ml of PCEV or PVRV or 0.2 ml of HDCV injected i.d. at 2 sites (over deltoid of both arms) on days 0, 3 and 7, followed by 1 site injection on day 28 (or 30) and day 90. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (Primary vaccination): Three i.d. injections of 0.1 ml each of PCEV/HDCV/PVRV on days 0, 7 and 28.…
Pediatric
Post-exposure prophylaxis (non-immunized, Thai regimen): 0.1 ml of PCEV or PVRV or 0.2 ml of HDCV injected i.d. at 2 sites (over deltoid of both arms) on days 0, 3 and 7, followed by 1 site injection on day 28 (or 30) and day 90.

Pharmacokinetics

Onset
10–14 days (for protective antibodies to develop)

Contraindications

  • Cauterization with carbolic acid (for local wound treatment)
  • Antirabic vaccine carbolized (Neural tissue vaccine) is obsolete and discontinued in India due to serious adverse effects.
  • Gluteal injections (due to potential for vaccine failure)
  • Administration with glucocorticoids or other immunosuppressive medications during PEP unless essential (may interfere with active immunity development).

Side effects

Common
Antirabic vaccine carbolized (NTV): painful large volume (2–5 ml) injectionsPCEV: Local reactions (~5% cases including local pain, erythema, swelling, lymph node enlargement)HDCV: Local reaction (redness and slight induration lasting 1–2 days in 10% cases), Fever (1%), Arthralgia (1%)Local reactions (pain, erythema, edema, induration) at injection site (30–70% of recipients)Systemic reactions (headache, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches, dizziness) (5–40% of recipients)
Serious
  • Antirabic vaccine carbolized (NTV): Serious (even fatal) vaccine associated allergic encephalomyelitis
  • PCEV: Rare neuroparalytic complications
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Urticaria

Related guidelines

Other Killed (Inactivated) viral vaccine drugs

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Textbook-sourced·Sources: KD Tripathi 7e, Harrison 22e·Updated: 2026-05-13