What are the Benefits of Receiving a Serum Injection?
Generally speaking, after being bitten by a dog, it is necessary to inject rabies vaccine as soon as possible, which is also known as serum injection. Serum injection is usually performed during the rabies vaccination, as there is a gap period before antibodies are produced. The benefit of serum injection is to bridge this gap until the rabies vaccine takes effect.
Serum injection is typically performed during rabies vaccination. If the injection of rabies serum is required, it indicates that the exposure level has reached a severe degree, likely accompanied by bleeding from bites or scratches. It takes about 1-2 weeks from the first injection of rabies vaccine for the body to produce corresponding antibodies, and there is no protective effect during this period. However, serum can provide protection during this time. Vaccines allow the body to produce antibodies, but serum does not. Instead, serum directly injects foreign antibodies into the body, providing a temporary protective effect. Therefore, the benefit of serum injection is to bridge the gap until the rabies vaccine takes effect.
Local reactions to rabies vaccine include pain, redness, swelling, hardening, and itching at the injection site, as well as possible edema and lymphadenopathy. Systemic reactions are rare or mild due to the purification of the vaccine and the minimal impurities present. Therapeutic vaccination should not be contraindicated in cases of rabies exposure due to the fatal nature of the disease, and there are no contraindications for preventive vaccination if there is no recent exposure to rabies virus. However, vaccination may be postponed for individuals who are pregnant, have acute illnesses, allergies, or are using steroids or immunosuppressants. Caution should be exercised in individuals with allergies to streptomycin or neomycin. Even without rabies vaccine injection, not everyone who is bitten by a rabid animal will develop rabies. The occurrence of rabies is directly related to factors such as the species of the biting animal, the virulence of the virus strain, the amount of virus entering the body, the age and physical condition of the injured person, the location and severity of the bite, and the local treatment of the wound after the bite.
