Home>Articles>Alcohol after rabies vaccination: all the pros and cons
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- How does alcohol interact with rabies vaccinations?
- Rabies vaccination and alcohol
- Stages of disease development
- Why is alcohol prohibited after a rabies vaccination?
- How soon can you drink alcohol after a rabies vaccination?
Most modern vaccinations are given in preschool age. It is then that there is no question of whether you can drink alcohol or not? But there are also types of vaccines that are given to adults who prefer to drink alcohol frequently. It is for this reason that a person asks doctors whether it is possible to drink alcohol before and after vaccinations, as well as what are the most basic restrictions that will help not harm a person’s health.
How does alcohol interact with rabies vaccinations?
It is absolutely forbidden to drink alcohol before you are going to get the vaccine, and after the procedure . The fact is that during illness or infection, a pathogenic microorganism enters the human body. As a result of the fact that there are very few foreign bodies and the infection is weakened, the body easily copes with rabies. After which, antibodies to possible future infection remain in the cells and internal systems.
Rabies vaccination is contraindicated in cases where the immune system is weakened. The cause of a weak immune system may be:
- immunosuppressants – medications that forcibly reduce the body’s immune response; are prescribed in order not to cause rejection of foreign bodies during and after surgery, as well as in the treatment of diseases, the outcome of which can greatly affect the functioning of the immune system;
- severe illnesses that weaken the immune system due to the high stress load on the body;
- alcohol consumption, which has a strong effect on the immune system, reducing protective barriers; The danger is great even with a one-time intake of alcoholic beverages.
Due to decreased immunity, the rate of spread of viruses begins to instantly increase. If you drink alcohol after being vaccinated, a weak body may not be able to cope with the pathogens.
Types of vaccine and incompatibility with other drugs
In case of dog bites, it is necessary to be vaccinated against rabies, for which the Rabipur vaccine is used, a drug with great effectiveness. It is used both for the treatment of rabies and for the prevention of the disease.
Concentrated cultured rabies vaccine (CoCAV) is produced in powder form. A single dose is 1 ml (2.5 IU) of the prepared solution for injection. The modern drug meets the requirements of ease of use, low cost, and reduction of side effects.
Where are injections given for a dog bite using modern treatment methods? What is being injected? For persons prone to allergic reactions, an antihistamine with immunoglobulin is first administered.
Patients are given an injection of KOKAV 2.5 IU into the deltoid muscle of the shoulder within 30 minutes, and for children under 2 years old - into the upper anterolateral area of the thigh. KOKAV injections into the buttocks are not effective.
The mechanism of action of rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin in the fight against rabies is different. The vaccine is aimed at developing immunity. But while the body produces antibodies, immediate protection is required, which immunoglobulin provides in the fight against harmful microbes.
Rabies immunoglobulin is represented by two types of drugs:
- heterologous;
- homologous.
The first variety is created on the basis of serum from the blood of a horse, the second - from donor blood of a person vaccinated with an anti-rabies vaccine. A homologous drug is more effective than a drug of animal origin; the dosage required is half as much.
Injected donor antibodies after injection of rabies immunoglobulin act immediately.
After administering the drug, the doctor observes the patient for 30 minutes to prevent manifestations of acute allergies and a sharp deterioration of the condition.
Rabies immunoglobulin is represented by two types of drugs:
- to strengthen the immune system;
- for chemotherapy;
- for radiation therapy;
- glucocorticosteroids.
The decision to adjust the therapeutic course due to the need to administer an anti-rabies vaccine is made by the attending physician, rabies specialist or traumatologist.
Rabies vaccination and alcohol
Rabies is considered a viral disease. The infection process occurs through the bite of a cat, dog or other animal (wild) that is infected with the viruses of this disease. The most critical consequences of the disease can be death. The process of the disease itself is quite difficult if you turn to medical staff in the later stages. It is for this reason that injections are given immediately after any animal bite. An exception may be pets that are regularly vaccinated.
It is important to know! In the process of carrying out preventive measures against rabies, drinking alcohol is prohibited for a long period of time. This is due to the fact that the incubation period of the disease can last up to 3 months, and treatment procedures can be even longer.
Stages of disease development
In the first stage, infection occurs. Viruses almost always enter the body through bites. Immediately after this, the incubation period begins. It has been noted that the closer the open wound is to the brain, the less incubation there will be and the disease will pass faster.
Next comes the first stage of the disease. The main symptoms are:
- weakness;
- headache;
- dry mouth.
A person does not immediately understand that this is rabies, since the signs are similar to an alcohol hangover, fatigue or a common cold. At this time, it is forbidden to treat the wound with alcohol or drink alcohol, as the drink will only speed up the spread of the virus. The stage can last up to 3 days, ending with auditory or visual hallucinations.
After which the next stage begins - excitement, which also takes 3 days. The most important symptom is considered to be a fear of water in any of its manifestations: drinking, ponds, etc. Severe spasms and pain are observed in the throat. After the period expires, foam comes out of the mouth, the patient shows aggression and begins to rush at others.
The last stage ends with paralysis and death. The person becomes indifferent to everything, and the body temperature can rise to +42ºС. The body experiences destruction of the protein mass, which causes paralysis of the limbs, and then the respiratory tract and heart.
The duration of the disease from the moment of bite to death is approximately 1 week. Therefore, it is very important to immediately undergo a course of therapy and under no circumstances drink alcohol.
Deadly result
A person bitten by an animal can feel safe for a long time. Cases have been described where about a year passed from infection to illness, but most often this period is 1–3 months. The disease begins with the appearance of unpleasant sensations in the bite area (burning, nagging pain, itching, goosebumps), although the wound may already be completely healed. The reason is the multiplication of the virus in the spinal ganglia that innervate the bite area. Bites to the face usually cause olfactory and visual hallucinations. General symptoms - fever, headache, malaise - are accompanied by mental disorders. Apathy and depression are replaced by anxiety, pulse and breathing quicken, and a feeling of tightness in the chest arises.
Article on the topic
Prevention of rabies. What to do if you are bitten by a dog? This period lasts about four days, then specific encephalitis develops. The patient exhibits violence, aggressiveness, muscle spasms, epileptic seizures and paralysis are observed. Bright light, loud sound, touch and even a light breath can provoke an attack in the form of paroxysms of rage, between which consciousness clears up. Symptoms of encephalitis are soon joined by signs of impaired brainstem function, including impaired swallowing (dysphagia). Drooling combined with dysphagia leads to foaming at the mouth. But the most striking clinical symptom of rabies is hydrophobia (hydrophobia): when trying to drink, painful involuntary contractions of the swallowing muscles, diaphragm and auxiliary respiratory muscles occur.
When convulsions and attacks of hydrophobia stop, those around them mistake this condition for an improvement in the patient’s condition. But in reality it is a sign of imminent death. It occurs after 12–20 hours from paralysis of the heart or respiratory center. The total duration of the disease is 5–8 days, rarely slightly longer.
Why is alcohol prohibited after a rabies vaccination?
If a person is intoxicated when bitten by an animal, they should immediately consult a doctor, as the risk of death increases. If the patient has taken alcohol before getting the vaccine, he is given IV drips to remove the alcohol from the body as quickly as possible Drinking primarily affects the speed at which the vaccine affects the body.
Alcohol can destroy all the active substances in the drug, so the injection will not work. Alcohol also weakens the immune system.
You should know! Before you drink a glass of alcohol before going to the hospital, you should remember that the rabies vaccine is anti-rabies. This means that preventing death is possible only with timely and correct treatment.
How soon can you drink alcohol after a rabies vaccination?
Many patients are interested in the question: how long after rabies vaccination can you drink alcohol and what should you do if you drink alcohol after rabies vaccination? If the vaccine is preventive, then the restrictions should be observed for two weeks, if it is therapeutic, for a couple of months.
The first version of vaccinations is optional. Most often, people who are going on a trip to wild regions and countries where a huge number of animals live are vaccinated. The vaccine contains a killed virus so that the body begins to independently produce antibodies to rabies. The body’s reaction begins after ten days, which is why it is not recommended to take alcohol for 12 days after a rabies vaccination, so as not to weaken the immune system to other diseases. If this rule is not followed, vomiting, emotional distress and headaches begin. But the injection will never work. For this reason, rabies vaccination and alcohol are simply incompatible.
The introduction of antibacterial serums to treat the disease is a more serious and effective method. The specialist gives 6 injections: on day 1, on days 3, 7 and 14. The last 2 after 30 and 90 calendar days. Vaccination is carried out strictly according to schedule.
It is worth knowing that a course of treatment cannot provide a 100% guarantee that there will be no death. Therefore, many people ask why alcohol should not be consumed after a rabies vaccination if the risk of death is always present? The fact is that the immune system may not cope with a lethal infectious brain virus, which will lead to the death of the patient. In addition, the composition of many vaccines is not safe in certain cases where there is incompatibility with the body. Nausea, vomiting, and migraine appear. These signs are very similar to the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, so many will not understand whether professional help is required or whether these are the consequences of alcohol.
Precautionary measures
In order not to worry about the consequences, it is better to prevent the development of the disease. “Under no circumstances should you touch any hedgehogs, foxes or other animals running past. And if we take animals to the country, we need to vaccinate them. Cat, dog, rabbits and other pets. All warm-blooded animals should be vaccinated. Only snakes and other reptiles do not get rabies. And it is important to understand that after vaccination you cannot immediately go to the country with the animal, since the protective level in animals is formed no earlier than 14 days after vaccination. You will have to stay at home with animals to develop immunity,” says the infectious disease specialist.
Therefore, it is worth calculating and thinking through everything in advance in order to avoid infection, because the price of the issue is life. And not only the pet, but also your own, because any infection that enters the body leaves a mark on it.
