Long-Term Humoral and Cellular Immunity after Vaccination with Cell Culture Rabies Vaccines in Man

Abstract To determine the duration of anti-rabies immunity, peripheral blood of 18 vaccinees was obtained between 2 and 14 years after immunization. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum were tested for the presence of either rabies virus-specific antibodies or rabies antigenspecific proliferation. Neutralizing immunoglobulin class G anti-rabies virus antibodies could be detected in sera of all vaccinees, but not in 18 age- and sex-matched controls. Rabies antigen-induced proliferation of PBMCs from vaccinees was significantly higher than that of controls. The antirabies T and B cell response showed no time-dependent pattern. These results suggest the induction of a long-term immunity after rabies immunization according to pre- and postexposure schedules with inactivated cell culture vaccines against rabies.