What are the side effects of the rabies vaccine?
Mar 19, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, rabies is a disease with an extremely high fatality rate, and vaccination can effectively prevent rabies. Possible side effects include local reactions at the injection site, systemic fever reactions, gastrointestinal discomfort, neurological symptoms, joint pain, and others. To reduce post-vaccination discomfort, it is recommended to avoid alcohol consumption, strong tea, and coffee during the rabies vaccination period.
Generally, the side effects of rabies vaccine may include local reactions at the injection site, systemic fever reactions, gastrointestinal discomfort, neurological symptoms, and joint pain. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Local reactions at the injection site
After the rabies vaccine is administered into the body, the antigen components are recognized by immune cells surrounding the injection site. The immune cells initiate an immune response, releasing inflammatory mediators such as histamine and prostaglandins. These mediators cause local vasodilation and increased permeability, leading to redness, swelling, pain, and itching at the injection site.
2. Systemic fever reaction
As the vaccine stimulates the body's immune response, the immune system becomes activated and releases certain cytokines, which can disrupt the body's temperature regulation center, resulting in fever, typically low-grade or moderate fever.
3. Gastrointestinal discomfort
The immune response triggered by the vaccine may affect the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to increased gastrointestinal motility or abnormal secretion of digestive fluids. Some individuals may experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea after vaccination.
4. Neurological symptoms
In rare cases, the vaccinated individual may experience symptoms similar to those of a common cold, such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, and muscle pain. These symptoms may be related to the vaccine-induced immune response affecting nervous system function.
5. Joint pain
Following rabies vaccination, the body's immune system produces antibodies that bind to antigens in the vaccine, forming immune complexes. These immune complexes may circulate in the bloodstream and deposit in the synovial tissues of joints. The immune cells within the joint synovium recognize these immune complexes, triggering an inflammatory response and releasing inflammatory mediators that irritate the synovial tissue, causing joint pain, which most commonly occurs in large joints.
To reduce post-vaccination discomfort, it is recommended to avoid alcohol consumption, strong tea, coffee, and spicy foods such as chili peppers, onions, and garlic during the rabies vaccination period. These foods may exacerbate adverse reactions following vaccination and reduce the vaccine's immunogenicity.
