What is a rabies shot like for humans?
Rachel Ellis
Published Jan 25, 2026
After having the rabies vaccine, some people have temporary soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site for 24 to 48 hours. In rare cases, some people also experience: a mild high temperature (fever)
Are rabies shots painful for humans?
In the past, the rabies vaccine, which is no longer available, required up to 30 shots and was quite painful. The current rabies vaccine requires only four shots following a potential exposure to the virus and is much less painful.
What does it feel like to get a rabies shot?
You could develop soreness or itching where the shot is given. You also could experience headache, muscle aches and dizziness. About 6 percent of people who get the vaccine experience hives, pain in their joints and fever.
Do rabies shots go in the stomach?
No, the rabies vaccine has not been given in the stomach since the 1980s. For adults, it should only be given in the deltoid muscle of the upper arm (administration to the gluteal area is NOT recommended, as studies have shown this can result in a less effective immune response).
How long do rabies shots last in humans?
Either a blood test (titer) or a booster dose of rabies vaccine is recommended every 2 years. A titer shows that antibodies to the rabies virus are present and at a certain level the need for the booster is not necessary. If the titer is low or negative, a booster dose is necessary.
26 related questions foundCan you survive rabies?
Once a rabies infection is established, there's no effective treatment. Though a small number of people have survived rabies, the disease usually causes death. For that reason, if you think you've been exposed to rabies, you must get a series of shots to prevent the infection from taking hold.
Is 7 days too late for rabies vaccine?
A patient who was bitten by a bat a few months ago is wondering if it is too late to receive rabies PEP. There is no time limit regarding the administration of PEP after an exposure.
How painful is rabies shot?
Rabies vaccines can be painful and the immunoglobulin administration can involve a lot of needles at one time for the patient. The patient also has to come back at specific times to abide by the vaccination schedule, which can become quite expensive and inconvenient.
What are the symptoms of rabies in humans?
The first symptoms of rabies may be similar to the flu, including weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache. There also may be discomfort, prickling, or an itching sensation at the site of the bite. These symptoms may last for days. Symptoms then progress to cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, and agitation.
Can I take rabies vaccine after 2 months?
Once it enters the nerves, it is the end of the person. Therefore to neutralise, kill or inactivate the virus, immunoglobulins or rabies monoclonal antibodies must be injected into the wound. Then the vaccine must be given over a period of a month, multiple times; the antibodies from which form after 2 weeks," said Dr.
How long does rabies take to show in humans?
The first symptoms of rabies can appear from a few days to more than a year after the bite happens. At first, there's a tingling, prickling, or itching feeling around the bite area. A person also might have flu-like symptoms such as a fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and tiredness.
How many shots are in the stomach for rabies?
Modern rabies vaccines are grown in cells in lab dishes and are cleaner and more effective. “They have very low rates of adverse events and they are more potent so we only need a series of four shots, as opposed to the 13 shots you would get in the stomach in the old version of the vaccine,” Wallace said.
Where is the rabies shot given?
The vaccine is injected into the upper arm muscle (deltoid). Very young or small children may have the vaccine injected into the upper leg (thigh) muscle.
How long after rabies vaccine is it effective?
The rabies vaccine series induces an active immune response that requires 7 to 10 days to develop and persists for many years.
Does rabies cause stomach pain?
Conclusions: This paper reports on a case of human rabies with the first disease manifestation (severe abdominal pain). The patient reported extensive biting on his left leg by a dog.
What happens if you miss a rabies shot?
For example, if a patient misses the dose scheduled for day 7 and presents for vaccination on day 10, the day 7 dose should be administered that day and the schedule resumed, maintaining the same interval between doses. In this scenario, the remaining doses would be administered on days 17 and 31.
Can you survive rabies without a vaccine?
New research has shown that humans may be able to survive Rabies without vaccination or treatment after all.
Do humans with rabies bite?
Bite and non-bite exposures from an infected person could theoretically transmit rabies, but no such cases have been documented. Casual contact, such as touching a person with rabies or contact with non-infectious fluid or tissue (urine, blood, feces), is not associated with risk for infection.
Can you get rabies without being bitten?
Rabies can't go through unbroken skin. People can get rabies only via a bite from a rabid animal or possibly through scratches, abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes in contact with saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal.
How big is the needle for a rabies shot?
Use a 22–25 gauge needle.
Can humans be vaccinated for rabies?
The rabies vaccine can also be given to prevent rabies before exposure to the rabies virus. The vaccine is recommended, but not provided free, for those at risk of being exposed to the rabies virus, including: Veterinarians and their staff. Laboratory and other workers who routinely handle rabies virus.
How late is too late for rabies?
Even if you have been bitten a few days, or weeks ago, It is never too late to start. Rabies virus can incubate for several years before it causes symptoms. If you wait until you get symptoms, it may be too late – there is no treatment for established rabies … rabies is fatal.
When should I be worried about rabies?
Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal. Therefore, any person who has been bit- ten, scratched, or somehow exposed to the saliva of a potentially rabid animal should see a physician as soon as possible for postexposure treatment.
Do all dogs have rabies?
Contrary to what many people believe, not all dogs have rabies. On Wednesday's “24 Oras,” Kuya Kim said dogs were not born with the fatal viral disease. However, they can get the rabies virus if they are bitten by an infected animal.
Why does rabies have no cure?
Rabies infects the central nervous system (CNS), and — if left untreated — it can be fatal if it reaches the brain. Once it reaches the brain, there's currently no treatment available.