Do I Need To Have Complete Course Of Vaccination After Having Possible Exposure With No Bite Marks?

Posted on Mon, 27 Apr 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 27 Apr 2015 Answered on

Mon, 18 May 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : If you had the complete series of post exposure rabies vaccines only needed two boosters...and had a possible exposure 2 weeks later (day 12 after second booster) with no bite marks or scratches would you need to have two more booster shoots or would you be protected.

Answered by Dr. Anshul Varshney (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Just take booster.

Detailed Answer:
Welcome To HCM. I am Dr Anshul Varshney. I understand your concern. Since you have already taken post exposure prophylaxis recently and moreover the exposure you had this time was not significant, so you can simply take your remaining 2 booster doses. These vaccines once given forms antibodies in thr body which persists for months or even years. So just take two remaining booster doses. Nothing else is required. If you have any further query, please ask me.
Stay Healthy.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Anshul Varshney (8 minutes later)

Thanks for your help...the thing is I only needed the 0 and 3 day boosters because I had been previously vaccinated with the full cours so this was a repeat exposure the one 12 days ago. So is that sufficient?e

Answered by Dr. Anshul Varshney (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes .

Detailed Answer:
Yes, you don't need to get the full course again. Just take the booster doses.
If you have any further query, please ask me.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar