Rabies Vaccine (Systemic)
Before Receiving This VaccineIn deciding to use a vaccine, the risks of using the vaccine must be weighed
against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make.
For rabies vaccine, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to rabies vaccine, or to cow (bovine) serum, human albumin,
kanamycin, monkey proteins, neomycin, polymyxin B, or thimerosal, since some
of these may also be present in the vaccine. Also tell your health care professional
if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done
in either humans or animals. However, the use of rabies vaccine in pregnant
women has not been reported to cause problems.
Breast-feeding - Rabies vaccine has not been reported to cause problems
in nursing babies.
Children - This vaccine is not expected to cause different side
effects or problems in children than it does in adults.
Older adults - Many vaccines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use
of rabies vaccine in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. While you are receiving
rabies vaccine, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Cancer medicines or
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Corticosteroids (i.e., cortisone-like medicines) or
-
Medicine to prevent malaria, such as chloroquine (Aralen), hydroxychloroquine
(Plaquenil), or mefloquine (Lariam), or
-
Radiation therapy - These treatments may reduce the useful effect
of the vaccine
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of rabies vaccine. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Illness, severe, with fever - The symptoms of the condition may
be confused with the possible side effects of the vaccine
-
Immune deficiency condition (or family history of) - May decrease
the useful effects of the vaccine
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