Pre-exposure rabies vaccination: strategies and cost-minimization study

Vaccine. 2001 Jan 8;19(11-12):1416-24. doi: 10.1016/s0264-410x(00)00368-6.

Abstract

An alternative strategy for pre-exposure rabies vaccination to the institutional recommendations of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is proposed based on recent long-term follow-up of post-vaccinal seroconversion rates. The alternative strategy uses the same primary series (i.e. vaccination in the deltoid area on D0, D7, and D28), but is completed by a scheduled booster vaccination at D365. The frequency of recommended subsequent booster injections depends on the serological test results obtained by a RFFIT on D379 and 3 years later. The objective of this study was to compare the efficiency of the two pre-exposure strategies. A cost-minimization analysis was carried out to compare the two rabies pre-exposure vaccination and serological test strategies based on the data from two published studies on the long-term evolution of the immunity achieved using the different recommendations. For a theoretically equivalent immunogenicity, the cost of the alternative strategy ranged from 1.7 to 5.2 times lower than that of the institutional recommendations. A sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. The alternative strategy should be validated externally under field conditions. This approach would compare its real efficiency to the institutional recommendations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / biosynthesis
  • Cost Control
  • Decision Trees
  • Humans
  • Immunization Schedule
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Rabies / immunology
  • Rabies / prevention & control
  • Rabies Vaccines / administration & dosage*
  • Rabies Vaccines / economics*
  • Rabies virus / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Rabies Vaccines