Boostability of One priming dose intramuscular Rabies vaccine especially in Senior age groups

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Rabies is a fatal disease, present in most countries outside Australia, so poses a risk to Australian travellers. Although deaths in travellers are rare (60 reported cases 1990 – 2012 ), rabies risk exposures are relatively common (2-13/1000 travellers per month). In travellers who are aware the horrors of this untreatable disease, a potential rabies exposure can be stressful, and cause major disruption to travel plans in the quest for appropriate treatment. Pre-exposure rabies vaccination (PrEP) simplifies the treatment of animal exposures if they occur during travel. The standard recommendations for rabies PrEP is to give 2-3 doses of vaccine prior to departure. The Australian guidelines recommend PrEP - one dose of Rabies vaccine given on day 0,7,and 21-28. Many travellers are leaving at short notice and do not have time to complete this pre departure rabies vaccine course. Recent research has suggested that two doses or even one dose may be sufficient to prime the immune system, and simplify the post exposure treatment of at risk animal exposures. Much of the research in the past has be done on young soldiers. There is very limited research in persons over the age of 50 years to confirm that persons in this age group mount an adequate immune response to lower doses of rabies vaccine.