Rabies Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Guidance | Rabies | CDC
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
July 16, 2025
Pre-exposure prophylaxis vaccination is recommended for people who work directly with animals that could have rabies.
Those who travel to parts of the world where rabies is common and access to medical care is limited also may consider pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Most people in the United States have a low risk being around an animal with rabies. However, a small subset of people are at higher risk. This includes those who:
Work directly with animals that could have rabies
Travel to parts of the world where rabies is common and access to medical care is limited
These people should receive rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a series of rabies vaccine doses given before exposure to the rabies virus.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) rabies PrEP recommendations consist of:
A two-dose PrEP schedule has replaced the three-dose PrEP schedule to protect people from rabies for up to three years. Options for maintaining protection beyond three years are also described.
The minimum acceptable laboratory value (antibody titer) used to determine whether rabies vaccine booster doses are needed was revised and standardized.
Many people for whom serial titers were recommended every two years now require only a one-time titer (and booster if below a certain level) OR a one-time booster.
Risk categories have been redefined into five risk groups:
Clinical guidance for administering PrEP to people with weakened immune systems has been outlined and includes recommendations to confirm that the vaccine was effective.
*The typical characteristics described may not include the characteristics of all activities that fall within the described risk group.
July 16, 2025
Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)