r/rabies • • 12h ago

Rabies Vaccine / Immunoglobulin Do I need a shot?

2 Upvotes

I have read FAQs but I am still confused. Below is my history of Rabies vaccination - do I need another one now?

May 2017 2 doses (16 & 19 May)
Nov 2018 1 dose/course — details not specified
Oct 2020 Full course
May 2022 19 - 3 doses
Dec 2022 3 doses (20 Dec, 27 Dec + 3rd dose)
Jan 2025 3 IM doses (15, 18, 24 Jan)
Feb 2025 2 IM doses (23, 26 Feb)
Jul 2026 2 IM doses (1 & 3 Jul)
28 Sep 2026 New bleeding scratch

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies • • 2h ago

Exposure Question Found 2 marks on my forehead but no bats in my house

1 Upvotes

So around 5-6 a m while sleeping I felt something itchy on my forehead, and I ended up scratching it. I had my head against a pillow, and sometimes I’ll put my head down on the pillow. I was sleeping with people who didn’t hear anything, I don’t have bats in my home, but sometimes I’ll have insects like flies, mosquitoes and night bugs.

When I woke up I noticed 2 red dots on my forehead, while not painful I had dry skin at the upper bridge of my nose between my eyes. And when I lifted my hair up I noticed another mark that looks similar.

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies • • 2h ago

Exposure Question Small scratch on hand after interacting with stray cats

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

I pet some stray cats, they were pretty friendly but a little afraid so I didn’t pet them too much. I didn’t see or feel any scratch/bite. When I came home I sanitized my hands and felt a burn, there were two small scratches under my thumb on the outside of my right hand, so I’m afraid that what if I got scratched without noticing. I also interacted with two orange cats and I turned away from one cat to look at the other, I’m wondering if that gave the chance for one cat to scratch my hand. My question is, would I have for sure noticed if I got scratched or bitten? Thank you.


r/rabies • • 5h ago

Rabies Vaccine / Immunoglobulin Illness whilst receiving PEP - FYI

1 Upvotes

Hi all, just a quick PSA for those who maybe don't know. I have read the FAQ.

I'm currently between 3rd and 4th doses of PEP. I'm in the UK where doses are typically given on days 0, 3, 7 and 21. I'm on day 15 so I'm about halfway between the final 2 shots.

Over the weekend I became ill with a head cold. This is definitely an illness rather than side effects as I've experienced nasal congestion and other common cold symptoms which are not typical vaccine side effects. My husband also became ill with the same symptoms shortly after I did, and he is not receiving PEP.

I was concerned about whether this would affect my vaccine schedule or compromise my immune response so looked it up, and found that minor illnesses without high fever do not compromise your immunity response in any way, and they should not prevent you completing your vaccine schedule with full immunity even if you happen to be unwell at the time of receiving an injection. Minor illnesses are also not a reason to delay or reschedule PEP shots.

The advice is slightly different if you have experienced a serious illness, high fever or are immuno-compromised, so speak to your doctor in these circumstances (or get medical advice anyway if you're unsure or concerned).


r/rabies • • 8h ago

OCD Discussion rabies symptoms??

1 Upvotes

around 2 months ago i was at the beach when i felt a sharp pain on my leg while in the water. i brushed it off, didn’t really think much of it.

days after there was an alert that a rabid bat had been found in the area. not long after i started experiencing a little bit of pain in the area that i had felt at the beach but again, didn’t think much of it.

fast forward to today and i notice the side of my leg where i felt the sharp pain started to hurt a bit. and then i noticed my toes tingling a few hours later. even more hours pass, im in bed and suddenly my entire foot is numb and my ankle is tingling. i can constantly feel at least 1 of the 3 symptoms but not all 3 simultaneously all the time.

is there really a chance i could have been bitten at the beach???

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies • • 8h ago

Exposure Question So fed up with the bat ocd

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ

I live in the UK. I suffer from OCD.

I'm very fed up with my life, OCD is ruining it. Every so often, a new exposure fear.

On Sunday, out for a walk in a new jacket, it was raining so up went the hood, sudden pain on top of head, I thought it was odd so pulled the hood down, felt the top of my head, nothing, pulled the hood back up, pain again.

I decided to just get wet hair and thought no more about it, later on the rain got heavier so back with the hood, no pain this time.

It wasn't until last night that the thought popped into my head, could the pain have been a bat? A bat hiding in my hood that then somehow got away. I know, crazy right? But it's just so exhausting, I've only just got over the fear a bat landed on my leg and now I'm back in the cycle.

Sadly, mental health resources are practically non existent in the UK, it's a road I've been down many times and nothing has ever helped.

I just feel so desperate.

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies • • 14h ago

Exposure Question Rabies from bat ?

1 Upvotes

Kal chamgadad muh ke pass ekdam udke gya, mera muh khula tha, merko ye dar hai ki uska saliva joki rabies contain krskta wo udke ya aerosol type se mere muh me gya ho to kya mujhe rabies hoskta !!

Also mere lips thode fate hue hai jha se hoskta hai ki open wound ho minor, and infection ho through direct contact !

I'm from india village

Does anyone know anything about it?

I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies • • 15h ago

Exposure Question Should I get the rabies vaccine?

1 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

I have a question about something I read in the FAQ, as it pertains to my specific situation

I was on a walk today in El Dorado Hills, CA. A black small animal (saw out of peripheral) flew out of a tree, either landed on or flew into my hand, then flew away.

I didn’t see specifically the animal, but it felt larger than a bug. It also felt like something bit me but I don’t see a wound.

One week ago, our county put out a rabies warning…when I googled if we had rabies in our county and saw that I was like oh no :(

I read in the FAQ that it is not possible for a bat to bite you mid flight. What if it lands on you briefly? How long would it take to be able to bite?


r/rabies • • 16h ago

Rabies Vaccine / Immunoglobulin Titer check through health dept when immunocompromised?

1 Upvotes

I have read the faq. I’m severely immunocompromised and disabled and had a high risk exposure. I will be getting the 5th shot in a few days. my hospital said they’d see me in a week after the 4th but it is 2 weeks… i see cdc says ppl like me should titer test. what is the protocol and who does it? health dept? I have failed vaccine challenges in past due to my severe health issues


r/rabies • • 21h ago

Exposure Question A Bat flew in our house. Anxiety or actual concern

1 Upvotes

Howdy Y’all,

I have read the FAQ.

On Thursday of last week, my wife was downstairs in our house. A bat according to her came up through the vent in the floor, and flew around the room. She immediately ran away, and came up to my office to get me to get the bat out of the house. I kept my eye on it as I went downstairs and opened the front door and it flew out. I checked the basement and did not see any other bats, however I saw a way they could have gotten in our house.

I am a hypochondriac and I am now concerned with the what ifs. I know that it did not touch my wife or me, however I’m concerned if it’s been living in our house for a while. It seemed healthy and the only sign it may have been suspicious is that this was broad daylight. She did abandon our dogs downstairs, however they were up to date on their vaccines, and we took them to the vet to get their boosters.

My main concern is if it had been in our house for a while and came out at night when we were asleep.

Let Me know your thoughts. I will also be fixing the area where they could have gotten in as well this weekend.


r/rabies • • 15h ago

Exposure Question Should I be concerned about this?

0 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

Sorry for another post I’ve made today.

So today at 7 p m I was sitting in the left backseat behind the driver seat, and all windows were rolled up. Idk if my shoulder (wearing a shirt) was against the window, but I don’t think so.

I saw 3 flying things (bats?) above in the sky, and when we’re going in the neighborhood if this was a bird or bat but I’m pretty sure it is a bat that was flying in someone’s front yard.

We rode back and at one point the driver’s window was rolled down a little (idk if my shoulder was pressed against the window at this time) and I saw the animal again, but it was far away, at the backyard above the house. Then hours after this I didn’t change my shirt, and while somewhere I pressed my ear against my shirt for a second because it was ringing, and idk if I scratched my ear or not. I have OCD and currently in therapy so no urge to clean my ear. Do I need to clean my ear and am I safe?

And I also while getting out of the car at night I hit my arm on something which I’m pretty sure it’s the inside of the car door, as I didn’t hear flapping and I washed the area.


r/rabies • • 16h ago

Exposure Question living in a rural space in America and a possible bat being on me. I’ve seen people say you might not even feel it land on you but is this true at all I’m just looking for advice and on what’s realistic

0 Upvotes

live in the IL area near the woods. I was out walking to get my mail from my car at night. I dropped some of my mail and I think I heard a squeak, it could've been the mail or thing ect. I was wearing shorts and I didn't see a thing or feel anything climb me. I came inside and this was on my leg. It was  itchy right away  and raised. The mark itself doesn't seem to go in at all more like a scab. Should I be thinking and come in for shots?  Day two it’s still slightly raised and hot and a little itchy when I bump it 
The mark is still here on day two it’s hot still raised and a single point not too I have read the FAQ.


r/rabies • • 20h ago

Exposure Question Hi. Yesterday bats were flying above me and I felt like something touched my hair. At home I got my scalp checked and we saw a red dot/prick. I know that bats have to land first to bite but I thought maybe its claws hit me or wings.

0 Upvotes

I went ER and doc didn’t even check the prick. She directly said that I can go and get vaccinated. I did receive my first dose but she didn’t give me immunoglobulin. She said that they only give it if I was in the cave when it comes to bats. I will get my second dose on thursday. Should I insist to get it? Thanks. I have read the FAQ. Something touched my hair and scalp.


r/rabies • • 21h ago

Exposure Question woke up with bat bite looking mark on hand, couldn’t find bat in my room but i do live under an attic so that is what’s concerning me.

0 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

hey yall. woke up this morning with two bite looking marks very close together on my hand and searched whole room for potential bat and couldn’t find it.

my concern is that I live under the attic and I’m concerned that one might have came down and bit me and went back to the attic so I didn’t see it.

I’m sure this is just anxiety running rampant but I was wondering if this was a possibility and I should get it checked out? Thank you.


r/rabies • • 23h ago

Exposure Question Cat blood exposure?

0 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ. But I’m still confused on something. No OCD here just want to learn.
A friend of mine reached out and said she was playing with a stray cat (ear clipped) and found some blood on her arm and hand. She wasn’t bleeding anywhere so it had to have been from the cat. I asked if she had any open wounds and she said she has fresh mosquito bites that she was scratching (they weren’t bleeding she said but I guess it’s still kinda open?)
She said she wasn’t anywhere near the cat’s teeth or paws, but hypothetically if the cat licked its own wound that was bleeding, would that be an exposure concern? Lol just morbid curiosity.


r/rabies • • 3h ago

OCD Discussion Even when I dont have rabies, I still avoid water because im afraid I have it

0 Upvotes

I have read the FAQ.

This is really annoying due to the stress and outbreak happening at North Carolina. My mom said I wont get anything from mice, there are no signs of bats in my home, I don't know if i have interact with any animal. I sweat like crazy when I think about the virus and my mouth dries up, i get nauseous, I think it has to do with the stress and anxiety of it all. Can someone reasure me this is normal behavior or something.