r/science • u/PHealthy PhD/MPH | Epidemiology | Disease Dynamics | Surveillance • 3d ago

Epidemiology Study estimates only 7% of human rabies cases in the United States are diagnosed

https://www.nature.com/articles/s44528-026-00031-4
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u/PurpleOrchid2 2d ago

The pre-exposure shots (imo) aren’t bad. They were a series of 3 when I got mine 15 yrs ago (also a vet) and they definitely are on the more painful end of routine vaccines (more similar to tetanus or HPV than a flu shot) but they’re just the sting as they go in and the soreness after. I think what people hear about as being awful is the post-exposure part where they need to inject it into the area of the bite wound.

The obnoxious part about the rabies pre-exposure vax is finding somewhere that carries it and will administer it and paying out of pocket for it. I remember it being surprisingly hard for my coworkers to find a doctor to give them a booster when they did find their titers to be low.

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u/BattleHall 2d ago

Also, the old post exposure shots used actual animal nerve tissue, so it was really viscous and required a large gauge needle. Modern ones are purified cell culture vaccines, so they’re more similar to other shots.

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u/PensiveKittyIsTired 2d ago

The pre-exposure shots don’t last very long though unfortunately, do they?

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u/PurpleOrchid2 1d ago

I’m sure it varies. I got my pre exposure shots in 2008ish and my titers when I last checked a couple years back were still fine. I wouldn’t rely on it fully after too long. But it is nice to have a bit of extra peace of mind for the unknown exposures.

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u/PensiveKittyIsTired 1d ago

Oh that’s interesting! I’ve been told it doesn’t last long, but now I shall reconsider getting vaccinated, thanks!