With WHO-approved vaccine, side effects are mild. There may be some pain at the site of injection, swollen glands, headache, aching muscles, malaise, and shivering. In rare cases, allergic reactions such as rash, wheezing and hives, swelling of the upper respiratory tract, and itching can also occur. Serious complications are very rare.
The risks for death from rabies after exposure are far higher than any potential pain or side effects after vaccination.
In a few countries, locally-produced vaccines that are not WHO-approved are still used. Whilst some are safe and effective, there are cases where ineffective and old technology vaccines have been administered and have resulted in rare, but severe, side effects.
No. The World Health Organization approves human rabies vaccines, and these modern vaccines are very safe, effective and do not contain live rabies virus. No cases of rabies have been documented after administration of WHO-approved rabies vaccines.
Vaccination against rabies used to involve many painful injections to the stomach. Modern vaccines are given into the muscle or under the skin of the upper arm and are not any more painful than other vaccines.
No case of human rabies resulting from consumption of raw meat from a rabid animal has been documented. Consumption of meat or milk from a rabid animal is strongly discouraged and should be avoided, but is not considered an exposure.
However, there have been documented cases of rabies transmission in butchers who were cutting meat from a rabid animal. This occurred when virus entered the body through breaks in the skin whilst butchering. Preparation of meat from domestic animals or wildlife killed by hunters is considered a high risk activity for rabies transmission. In some countries there are guidelines that prohibit the slaughtering of animals that have been known to be exposed to rabies in the recent past.
There are no scientifically documented cases of rabies transmission through raw milk consumption, or from eating raw meat from a rabid animal. Consumption of meat or milk from a rabid animal is strongly discouraged and should be avoided, but it is not considered an exposure, and PEP is not indicated.
