Question about the rabies titer

[Sophia1990]

Hey guys!
I'm studying veterinary medicine in Germany and just got blood drawn to estimate my titer. I got the primary vaccines 10 months ago and apparently my titer already dropped to 0,3 UI/ml. Now the WHO states that you're only protected with a titer >0,5 UI/ml whereas the ACIP says that a booster should be given when the titer drops below 0,1 - 0,2. Now I'm confused and don't know which guidelines I should follow.
How do you handle it in the US?
My doctor said that I should get a booster now but I'm honestly not really into getting vaccines all the time especially when there's a reliable source that says I'd be protected just in case (Germany is considered rabies-free but I wanna be on the safe side).

Thank you and greetings from Europe,
Sophia

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[JustPaws]

Hey guys!
I'm studying veterinary medicine in Germany and just got blood drawn to estimate my titer. I got the primary vaccines 10 months ago and apparently my titer already dropped to 0,3 UI/ml. Now the WHO states that you're only protected with a titer >0,5 UI/ml whereas the ACIP says that a booster should be given when the titer drops below 0,11. Now I'm confused and don't know which guidelines I should follow.
How do you handle it in the US?
My doctor said that I should get a booster now but I'm honestly not really into getting vaccines all the time especially when there's a reliable source that says I'd be protected just in case (Germany is considered rabies-free but I wanna be on the safe side).

Thank you and greetings from Europe,
Sophia

Your titer is lower than both values, so it would seem you aren't protected as well as recommended (unless I'm misunderstanding your post?). I feel like I heard that for some people coverage isn't sufficient with the three vaccine series and some need a fourth. Not sure how many you initially received. It's my understanding that my school tests titers during second year to see if a fourth is needed. I would be listening to my doctor, but I'm also very proud vaccine and we have rabies stateside so up to you to follow the doctors recommendation.

 

[Sophia1990]

Your titer is lower than both values, so it would seem you aren't protected as well as recommended (unless I'm misunderstanding your post?). I feel like I heard that for some people coverage isn't sufficient with the three vaccine series and some need a fourth. Not sure how many you initially received. It's my understanding that my school tests titers during second year to see if a fourth is needed. I would be listening to my doctor, but I'm also very proud vaccine and we have rabies stateside so up to you to follow the doctors recommendation.

Thanks for your answer
No, my titer is 0,35 so it's higher than the one recommended by the ACIP which is 0,1-0,2 but lower than the recommended one by the WHO (0,5).
I definitely am going to get a 4th one but I didn't wanna do it 10 months after I finished my primary course. I'm just being a bit hypochondriac when it comes to rabies. I planned on getting the fourth shot in a year or so. Apparently it's better to have more time in between what I read in studie so far.

 

[JustPaws]

Thanks for your answer
No, my titer is 0,35 so it's higher than the one recommended by the ACIP which is 0,1-0,2 but lower than the recommended one by the WHO (0,5).
I definitely am going to get a 4th one but I didn't wanna do it 10 months after I finished my primary course. I'm just being a bit hypochondriac when it comes to rabies. I planned on getting the fourth shot in a year or so. Apparently it's better to have more time in between what I read in studie so far.

Sorry I read your first post as 11 not ,1-,2

 

[SkiOtter]

Sorry I read your first post as 11 not ,1-,2

I read it the same and was also confused

 

[WhtsThFrequency]

Thanks for your answer
No, my titer is 0,35 so it's higher than the one recommended by the ACIP which is 0,1-0,2 but lower than the recommended one by the WHO (0,5).
I definitely am going to get a 4th one but I didn't wanna do it 10 months after I finished my primary course. I'm just being a bit hypochondriac when it comes to rabies. I planned on getting the fourth shot in a year or so. Apparently it's better to have more time in between what I read in studie so far.

Honestly, being a hypochondriac about rabies isn't a bad thing. It's 99.9% fatal. Much worse than something like Ebola, Marburg, etc. You don't mess around with stuff like that.

 

[Mattcj]

Thanks for your answer
No, my titer is 0,35 so it's higher than the one recommended by the ACIP which is 0,1-0,2 but lower than the recommended one by the WHO (0,5).
I definitely am going to get a 4th one but I didn't wanna do it 10 months after I finished my primary course. I'm just being a bit hypochondriac when it comes to rabies. I planned on getting the fourth shot in a year or so. Apparently it's better to have more time in between what I read in studie so far.

Did you get the intradermal rabies or the intramuscular rabies? The intradermal doesn't provide great protection and you need it boostered every year or two; the IM is the best (assuming the practitioner didn't give it in your gluteal muscle)

 

[that redhead]

Honestly, being a hypochondriac about rabies isn't a bad thing. It's 99.9% fatal. Much worse than something like Ebola, Marburg, etc. You don't mess around with stuff like that.

Yeahhh, just get the booster.

 

[Sophia1990]

Honestly, being a hypochondriac about rabies isn't a bad thing. It's 99.9% fatal. Much worse than something like Ebola, Marburg, etc. You don't mess around with stuff like that.

Yeah, you're right. But there hasn't been any rabies cases for 10 years so the chance I'll ever handle a rabid animal is very, very low.
I was just wondering if it was better to follow the WHO guidelines rather than the ACIP ones..

@Mattcj: I've gotten the intramuscular one, but my first shot was given by a medical student and I'm not soo sure he did everything right since my titer is exceptionally low.

 

[Mattcj]

Yeah, you're right. But there hasn't been any rabies cases for 10 years so the chance I'll ever handle a rabid animal is very, very low.
I was just wondering if it was better to follow the WHO guidelines rather than the ACIP ones..

@Mattcj: I've gotten the intramuscular one, but my first shot was given by a medical student and I'm not soo sure he did everything right since my titer is exceptionally low.

Hm interesting, you could also be a nonresponder. But either way another vaccine is warranted.

 

[cdo96]

Yeah, you're right. But there hasn't been any rabies cases for 10 years so the chance I'll ever handle a rabid animal is very, very low.

the ****ty thing is that there’s a time between infection and showing symptoms. So you could handle/ get bit or scratched by a dog with rabies and never know.

I’m super paranoid because I have a scenario in my head that I’d get scratched superficially by a dog with surprise rabies that had recently licked it’s paw. Owner takes animal to a different clinic/ not with me once symptoms pop up and I never hear of this. Animal is confirmed rabies positive, and I never know and the virus sits dormant/ nonsymptomatic in my system for a year until it becomes symptomatic, fatal, and I die a miserable painful hydrophobic death.

I’d go ahead and get a booster. Better safe than dead.