A shorter post-exposure prophylaxis regimen for rabies, Pakistan

Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis delivery to ensure treatment efficacy and increase compliance

“…Current vaccines (>2.5 IU/intramuscular dose), when administered intradermally, are equally or more efficient than when administered intramuscularly [18] . While the intradermal regimen is especially cost-effective in clinics that see several patients a day [19] , it is still worth-using - and cost-effective - even in settings where only one or two patients are typically treated per day. Healthcare providers also need to be adequately trained in intradermal administration, as unintended intramuscular or subcutaneous administration (under the skin vs. in the skin) can lead to a lack of efficacy and vaccination failure.…”

Global emergency medicine: A scoping review of the literature from 2021

“…Rabies and meningococcal meningitis remain major public health issues in the world. Salahuddin and colleagues 48 showed that a shortened 1‐week rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) schedule was equivalent to the standard 4‐week schedule in Pakistan. Despite an increased number of patients requiring PEP during the study period, there was less use of rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin vials, cost savings, increased patient adherence, and no reported deaths.…”