Rabies is one of the most dangerous diseases transmitted to humans from animals. To date, there are no effective and reliable methods of treating this serious ailment. At the stage of occurrence of clinical manifestations, the patient can no longer be helped, and the disease ends fatally. Therefore, the only way to save the patient is vaccination, which must be carried out before the first signs of brain damage appear. The question often arises: are rabies vaccines compatible with humans and alcohol? How long after a course of injections can I drink alcohol?
Rabies vaccine
Rabies is a disease caused by the Rabies virus microorganism. Infection occurs when saliva of a sick animal enters the human blood, most often with a bite. However, this is not the only way to transmit the virus. This microorganism can penetrate even through small wounds on the skin if the saliva of the animal gets on them.
You can catch this deadly disease not only from dogs and cats. Rabies also affects bats, foxes, wolves, rodents and many other species of animals.
The incubation period of this disease may be different. It lasts from 10 days to 1 year. Then the virus enters the brain and causes severe lesions, which almost inevitably lead to the death of the patient.
It is during the first 10-14 days after a possible infection that you should be vaccinated against rabies. This is the minimum term for the incubation period of the pathology. At this stage, the patient has no manifestations of the disease, since the virus has not yet penetrated the central nervous system. After this period, vaccination may be ineffective.
In Russia, several types of vaccines are used:
- Kokav;
- KAV;
- "Dry inactivated rabies vaccine" ;
- Indirab;
- "Rabipur".
The composition of these vaccines is identical, they contain attenuated strains of the pathogen. After administration of the drug, 10-12 days after the injection, antibodies against the virus begin to be produced in the body. This allows the immune system to successfully fight the infection, and as a result, the person does not get sick. The vaccine is valid for 1 year. Additionally, the patient is injected with rabies immunoglobulin, which further stimulates the body's defenses. This drug is produced in the same kit with the vaccine.
Is rabies vaccine and alcohol compatible? Usually, doctors do not recommend drinking alcohol after any vaccination. After all, ethanol adversely affects immunity. If we are talking about a vaccine against rabies, then experts impose a categorical ban on the use of alcohol. In this case, alcohol can be deadly.
How to get vaccinated
The vaccination product is administered in an amount of 1 ml. An injection is made in the shoulder area. However, in order to prevent such a serious and dangerous disease, more than one injection is required. In total, 6 injections are necessary during the course of treatment. The first time the vaccine is administered on the day of the visit to the doctor. Then the vaccinations are repeated as follows:
- on day 3;
- on day 7;
- In 2 weeks;
- after 1 month;
- in 3 months.
Thus, the full course of vaccinations takes 90 days. At the same time as the vaccine, the patient is given rabies immunoglobulin.
Side effects
The rabies vaccine has no contraindications. This disease is so dangerous that when an animal bites, vaccination is carried out in any case. After all, we are talking about saving a person’s life. Therefore, the drug is administered even to young children and pregnant women.
Experts warn that during the course of injections the patient may experience the following side effects:
- migraine attacks;
- dizziness;
- temperature rise;
- general malaise with chills;
- swelling
- dyspeptic symptoms;
- swelling of the lymph nodes.
If the patient has such symptoms, then this should not be a reason for refusing injections. To prevent the development of the disease, it is necessary to complete the course of vaccination.
Not all people tolerate vaccinations well. Taking alcohol increases the risk of side effects. Therefore, doctors warn of the incompatibility of a rabies vaccine with humans and alcohol. Patient reviews report a serious deterioration in well-being when taking alcohol after a preventive injection. Many people who allowed themselves to drink after administering the vaccine experienced severe headaches, vomiting, and breathing difficulties. Often the condition worsened so sharply that a person needed emergency medical care.
How does the vaccine interact with alcohol?
The components of the vaccine preparation do not interact with alcohol. Why are doctors talking about the complete incompatibility of alcohol and rabies vaccination for humans? Such a ban is associated with the effects of alcohol on the immune system. Further we will consider this issue in more detail.
An anti-rabies vaccine is not given if a person took alcohol shortly before going to the doctor. Vaccination may simply not work. However, there are cases when the vaccine needs to be administered immediately. For example, a person sought medical help only two weeks after the alleged infection. If the patient drank alcohol, then doctors first take measures to remove ethanol from the body and only then inject the drug.
Alcohol and the immune system
As already mentioned, alcohol and rabies vaccination are not compatible with humans due to the extremely negative effect of ethanol on the immune system. Drinking suppresses the body's defenses. Alcohol impairs protein metabolism in immune cells. The normal functioning of the immune system is restored only after a few days. If a person drinks alcohol regularly, then the body's defenses are constantly in a depressed state.
If a person is infected
Suppose a person is infected with the rabies virus, undergoes a course of preventive vaccinations and allows himself to drink a little. What happens in this case? The main goal of vaccination is the development of antibodies to fight infection. Ethanol significantly impairs the body's immune response. In this case, a person can get rabies, even when undergoing a full course of prevention.
This is one of the main reasons for the incompatibility of the rabies vaccine with humans and alcohol. Indeed, due to an insufficient immune response of the body to the vaccine, a person can get a deadly disease. It is important to remember that modern medicine cannot help a patient with a detailed clinical picture of rabies. The only salvation from this disease is only vaccination in the first 2 weeks of the incubation period. Alcohol intake can completely reduce the effectiveness of vaccination.
Other possible consequences
There are other reasons for the inadmissibility of combining rabies vaccination with humans and alcohol. The consequences of violating the prohibition of doctors on alcohol can be as follows:
- epilepsy attacks;
- encephalitis;
- paralysis.
These are side effects of the vaccine, which rarely develop if the patient complies with all the doctor's recommendations. But against the background of drinking, such severe neurological pathologies are noted quite often.
Duration of abstinence from alcohol
It is necessary to refrain from alcohol throughout the course of injections. Such a ban applies even to weak alcoholic beverages. During this period, the use of ethanol should be completely eliminated. Any dose of alcohol can cause irreparable harm.
Suppose the patient has completed the full course of rabies vaccines. Can I drink alcohol immediately after the last injection? Usually, after a three-month vaccination, doctors prescribe special drugs to prevent the disease. They must be taken within 6 months after the last injection. A full course of prevention takes about 9 months.
Abstinence from alcohol is necessary throughout this time. Drinking alcohol after a rabies vaccine is possible only after 9 months.
Doctors advice
The rabies vaccine is very difficult to tolerate. However, it is necessary to prevent a dangerous disease. We found that alcohol should not be consumed in any quantities during rabies vaccines. During the period of vaccination and prevention, it is also necessary to adhere to the following medical advice:
- Avoid heavy physical exertion.
- As much as possible to be in the sun, exclude a visit to the solarium.
- Do not overheat or supercool.
- If possible, protect yourself from stress.
Compliance with these recommendations will allow you to get the most complete immune response of the body to vaccination, avoid side effects and prevent fatal disease.