क्या मुझे सच में किसी जानवर के काटने के बाद रेबीज का टीका लगवाना चाहिए? क्या टीका न लगवाना ठीक है?

Article Overview: Do you really need a rabies vaccine after being bitten by a pet dog? This is a serious question, and to fully understand it, you first need to understand the dangers of the rabies virus.
When it comes to the rabies vaccine, many people are terrified of it—and for good reason: it has a 100% fatality rate. So why exactly does rabies have such a high fatality rate? What exactly is going on here?
Rabies is primarily caused by bites from rabid animals; in rare cases, it results from scratches by rabid animals or contamination of wounds or mucous membranes with the rabies virus. There have also been reports of rabies resulting from organ transplants from individuals carrying the rabies virus.The rabies virus is neurotropic and primarily enters the human body through broken skin or mucous membranes. Clinically, it most commonly manifests as specific symptoms such as aerophobia, hydrophobia, laryngeal spasm, and progressive paralysis. The incubation period ranges from 5 days to several years (typically 2–3 months, rarely exceeding 1 year).
In China, dogs are the animals most likely to transmit rabies, as the majority of dogs have not been vaccinated against the disease. Other animals that can transmit rabies include bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes, and cats.
As we all know, human immunity is divided into two types: passive immunity and active immunity. Simply put, active immunity involves stimulating the body to produce the necessary antibodies on its own, thereby gaining immunity, while passive immunity involves directly administering antibodies to the body to immediately confer immunity. Therefore, passive immunity can provide faster protection against pathogens.
Rabies vaccine is an active immunization agent. When administered via intramuscular injection, it can induce the production of protective antibodies capable of neutralizing the virus within 7 to 10 days. Current vaccination regimens include the 5-dose schedule (one injection each on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28) and the “2-1-1” 4-dose schedule (two injections on day 0, followed by one injection each on days 7 and 21);Rabies immunoglobulin, on the other hand, is a passive immunization agent. When administered via local infiltration into and around the wound, it provides immediate protective antibodies. Therefore, in cases of high-risk rabies exposure, where the rabies vaccine may not produce antibodies in time, immediate administration of rabies immunoglobulin is necessary to combat the rabies virus.
Please note that if you receive a rabies vaccine after being bitten by a dog carrying the rabies virus, the antibody levels produced by active immunity will exceed those from rabies immunoglobulin within 7 days. By this time, the virus will have already spread beyond the initial site of the bite, so there is no need to administer rabies immunoglobulin.
The most common side effects of rabies vaccines and rabies immunoglobulin are local reactions, including pain, redness, swelling, and hardening at the injection site. Only a small number of people may experience systemic symptoms such as headache, fever, muscle pain, nausea, fatigue, or allergic reactions. To ensure the vaccine’s effectiveness and minimize the occurrence of adverse reactions, you should avoid certain foods and strenuous physical activity while receiving the vaccine.
First, let’s take a look at the classification of rabies exposure
Category I exposure: Any of the following conditions applies:
(1) Contacting or feeding animals;
(2) Licking of intact skin;
(3) Unbroken skin coming into contact with secretions or excretions from rabid animals or human rabies patients.
Category II exposure: Any of the following conditions applies:
(1) A light bite on exposed skin;
(2) Minor scratches or abrasions without bleeding (Assessment: First, carefully inspect the exposed skin with the naked eye to check for any breaks in the skin; if it is difficult to determine visually, wipe the exposed area with alcohol; if pain is felt, this indicates that the skin is broken).
Level III exposure: Any of the following conditions:
(1) A single or multiple bite or scratch wounds that penetrate the skin, clinically manifested as visible bleeding or damage to the subcutaneous tissue;
(2) Licking of broken skin;
(3) The mucous membranes are contaminated by animal saliva;
(4) Exposure to bats
In simple terms, a Grade I burn involves intact skin; a Grade II burn involves minor damage without bleeding; and a Grade III burn involves damage accompanied by bleeding.
Generally speaking, Category I exposures do not require special treatment; only local cleansing is necessary. For Category II exposures, a rabies vaccine should be administered after the wound has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. For Category III exposures, rabies immunoglobulin should be administered in addition to the treatment for Category II exposures to provide rapid protection.
In addition, for individuals with severely compromised immune systems—such as the elderly and those with serious illnesses—rabies immunoglobulin should be administered in combination even in cases of Category II exposure.
Specific administration instructions: After prompt and thorough debridement, administer half of the total dose of rabies immunoglobulin via subcutaneous infiltration at the injury site, and the remaining half via intramuscular injection (for head bites, the injection may be administered into the back muscles).Dosage: The injection dose is calculated at 20 IU per kilogram of body weight (or as directed by a physician). Administer as a single injection; if the total required dose exceeds 10 mL, it may be divided into multiple injections over 1 to 2 days. Rabies vaccination may be administered immediately afterward, but the injection sites and equipment for the two products must be strictly separated.
There is currently no evidence to suggest that receiving the rabies vaccine causes any adverse effects on the fetus or the pregnancy; therefore, even pregnant women can receive the rabies vaccine.