There are multiple vaccines for rabies. Most are cultured in chick embryos and are not safe for people with egg allergies. However, there is one rabies vaccine, Imovax, which is not cultured in chick embryos.
The NIAID clinical guidelines for managing food allergies recommend that people with a history of severe allergic reactions to egg not be given rabies vaccines except for Imovax. If you have a history of any of the following reactions to egg, you should avoid all rabies vaccines except for Imovax:
- Hives
- Angioedema
- Allergic asthma
- Anaphylaxis
Rabies is a life-threatening disease. If you have confirmed exposure to rabies, you need prompt administration of a post-exposure vaccine. If the Imovax vaccine is not available, you may have a skin prick test done to see if you are able to tolerate the other rabies vaccines.
Sources:
Human rabies prevention—United States, 2008: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR. 2008 May 7;57 Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr57e507a1.htm
NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Food Allergy in the United States: Report of the NIAID-Sponsored Expert Panel. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Volume 126, Issue 6, December 2010
