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What Types of Medications Are Available for Rabies?

Rabies is a fatal disease that attacks the nervous system in mammals. It attacks the brain and spinal cord in its final stages, attacking and inflaming the brain and painfully crippling the body. It is transmitted through a scratch, bite or exposure to saliva from an infected animal. There are medications for rabies, but they must be given immediately after exposure, because once rabies reaches an advanced stage, it is 100 percent fatal.

  1. Imovax Rabies

    • Imovax Rabies is the rabies vaccine manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur. You can be treated with it both before or after exposure to rabies. Once you are exposed to rabies, it takes 10 days for the virus to reach the brain and spinal cord, at which point the disease is fatal. However, infected people can be treated with Imovax Rabies in the 10-day period and see a turnaround in the progression of the virus. The rabies vaccine is usually given as a series of five shots over the course of one month. People who have received their rabies shots before but fear they have come in contact with a rabid animal only take two of the five shots.

    Rabies Immune Globulin

    • Rabies immune globulin, or RIG, is also given to people exposed to rabies. It is also known in the United States under the names Bayrab, HyperRAB S/D and Imogam Rabies-HT. RIG contains antibodies that fight the virus. RIG only needs to be administered once to the patient. It is used in conjunction with Imovax Rabies to stop the virus from spreading in the body.

    RabAvert

    • RabAvert is another rabies vaccine. This vaccine is made by Chiron Behring Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung & Company. Much like Imovax Rabies, RabAvert can be administered before or after exposure to rabies. It serves as a preventative and as proactive therapy against the rabies virus. This medication is given as a series of three injections. The second injection comes seven days after the first, followed by the third and final injection two to three weeks later.

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