Epidemiology of rabies vaccinations of persons in Illinois, 1967-68.

Abstract

RABIES is usually considered a fatal disease in mammals. For this reason prophylactic measures are initiated when a human being has been exposed to a suspected rabid anim,al. The rabies prophylaxis consists of thorough cleansing of the bite wound, administration of rabies vaccine, and occasionally antirabies serum. Each year an estimated 30,000 persons in the United States receive postexposure prophylactic rabies vaccine (1). The surveillance program described delineates the circumstances in Illinois which lead to the administration of rabies vaccine.