Current Issues in Human Rabies Immunization

Rabies infection in humans is still a major public health problem, causing upwards of 20,000 deaths per year. The prevalent vaccine is still the nerve-tissue vaccine, which, al-though improved, necessitates the use of long and painful application schedules and fails to provide safe and reaction-free protection. A new generation of low-cost, purified ra-bies vaccines released in the last 2 years promises a revolution in rabies immunization in less-developed, rabies endemic countries, providing protection comparable to that of human diploid cell vaccine at the cost of Semple-type vaccine. Devising an appropriate technology for human rabies immunization includes new regimens of administration, one of which, a revised intramuscular regimen requiring only four doses and three clinic visits, proved highly efficient for postexposure treatment. The susceptibility of human beings to infection with rabies virus is widely variable, depending mainly on the species of the animal vector and the localization and severity of the wound [1]. Though the probabil-ity of infection may range from very slight (e.g., su