What are the risks from rabies vaccine?
A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small. Serious problems from rabies vaccine are very rare. Mild problems: • soreness, redness, swelling, or itching where the shot was given (30% – 74%) • headache, nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches, dizziness (5% – 40%) Moderate problems: • hives, pain in the joints, fever (about 6% of booster doses) • illness resembling Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), with complete recovery (very rare) Other nervous system disorders have been reported after rabies vaccine, but this happens so rarely that it is not known whether they are related to the vaccine. NOTE: Several brands of rabies vaccine are available in the United States, and reactions may vary between brands. Your provider can give you more information about a particular brand. This information was taken directly from the Rabies VIS [PDF – 58KB] (This information tak
