Rabies is a deadly illness that needs appropriate prophylaxis following rabies virus exposure to avoid death. Adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for rabies immune globulin (IG) patient selection, dosage, timing of administration, and anatomical site of administration for rabies postexposure prophylaxis was assessed in this study. From January 2015 to June 2018, patients who got at least one dose of rabies IG or rabies vaccination at a multi-hospital health system were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional investigation. This research comprised 246 individuals who had got at least one dose of rabies vaccination. Two patients had a history of rabies vaccination, but no justification for rabies IG, therefore they did not get any further rabies IG. Rabies immunoglobulin was given to 91% of individuals who had an indication. 219 of the 223 patients who got rabies immunoglobulin received doses within 10% of 20 IU/kg body weight, and all 223 received rabies immunoglobulin within 7 days following the initial rabies vaccination delivery. Only 56% of patients with a wound that could be infiltrated with rabies immunoglobulin got rabies immunoglobulin by infiltration into and surrounding the wound.
This multi-hospital health system investigation found that guideline recommendations for rabies IG patient selection, dosage, and timing were followed very closely. However, only 56% of eligible patients got rabies immunoglobulin infiltration at wound sites, as suggested by recommendations.
Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21645515.2019.1632680
