Rabies Vaccine

Vaccine development

French scientist Louis Pasteur developed the first vaccine against rabies. In 1885, he injected his attenuated (weakened) virus into a nine-year-old boy who had been bitten by a rabid dog. The child's life was saved. Over the following century several generations of rabies vaccines were developed. In the 1980s scientists developed a highly effective vaccine that provides protection from the virus both before exposure—pre-exposure prophylaxis—or after exposure—post-exposure prophylaxis. The vaccine consists of killed rabies virus that, when injected, induces the child's immune system to produce antibodies that bind to and destroy the virus. The antibody response develops within seven to 10 days of vaccination and provides protection for up to two years. A second type of rabies vaccine, rabies immune globulin (RIG), provides immediate, short-term protection after exposure to the virus.

Different Class of Rabies Vaccine:
Nerve Tissue Vaccine
Avian Embryo Vaccine
Cell Culture Vaccine


The tissue culture vaccines available in India .
# HUMAN DIPLOID CELL VACCINE (HDCV)
Human diploid cell vaccines (HDCVs) use inactivated rabies viruses. HDCV comes in two formulations: one for intramuscular (IM) injection and one for intradermal (ID) injection into a deep layer of skin. HDCV are based on Pitman-Moore L503 strain or in one case Flury strain of Rabies virus.
# PURIFIED CHICK EMBRYO CELL VACCINE (PCEC)
Purified chick embryo cell (PCEC) vaccine is made from rabies virus grown in cultures of chicken embryos and then inactivated. The drug is formulated for IM administration only.The PCEC is prepared from inactivated rabies virus of the Flury LEP-25 strain.
# Verocell Vaccine:
The purified verocell rabies vaccine contains the Winstar strain of the virus, but with vero cell line as substrate


RABIES IMMUNE GLOBULIN (RIG) Human rabies immune globulin (RIG, HRIG) is a vaccine made from human serum that contains high levels of antibodies against rabies. It is used in conjunction with an inactivated-rabies vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis. RIG provides immediate but short-lived protection against rabies. Approximately one-half of the antibodies are lost within 21 days after administration. RIG is separated from the blood plasma of hyperimmunized human donors. Numerous procedures are used to clear the serum of rabies virus.


Source:Wikipedia,Essentialdrug.org