Rabies Vaccination of At-Risk VTH Personnel

Subject to modification by the Biosecurity Subcommittee of the CVM Environmental Health and Safety Committee without approval.

Policy

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) employees who, by the nature of their employment and work duties, are at high-risk for potential exposure to rabies infected animals will be provided access to pre-exposure rabies immunization as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Student and volunteer personnel are not covered by this policy.

Guidelines

The recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/prevention/pre-exposure_vaccinations.html will be followed.

Pre-exposure vaccination will be offered to persons in high-risk groups, such as veterinarians, veterinary nurses, veterinary assistants, animal handlers, and certain laboratory workers whose activities bring them into frequent contact with potentially infected samples.

Student vaccination requirements are outlined by student policy published by the College’s Academic and Student Affairs office, outside of VTH oversight. Parkland College veterinary technician students will follow requirements outlined by Parkland College, outside of VTH oversight.

Persons with risk of potential exposure to rabies who are covered by this policy, and who have received preexposure vaccination against rabies, shall have the opportunityto receive either a one-time titer check after one year and up to 3 years following the first 2-dose vaccination OR 1-dose booster between 3 weeks and 3 years following the first vaccine in the 2-dose vaccination.

Procedure (if applicable)

1. The VTH Patient Services Coordinator will disseminate the Rabies Vaccination Statement Form to all impacted VTH personnel.
   
   
2. The VTH Patient Services Coordinator will facilitate pre-exposure measures provided to participating individuals (E.g., newly hired employees).
   
   
3. Personnel may opt-out of vaccination and titer testing. Persons choosing to opt-out must indicate this preference in writing by indicating this on the Rabies Vaccination Statement form and returning it to the VTH Patient Services Coordinator.
   
   
4. Personnel that are not vaccinated against rabies or that do not have proof of a protective titer, may be subject to limited participation in work-related activities that pose a risk for exposure to rabies.
   
   
5. The cost for program administration will be borne by the participating person’s assigned service/office, not the individual participant.

Definitions (if applicable)

Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH): The collective clinical services of the Large Animal Clinic, Midwest Equine, the Small Animal Clinic, and the Veterinary Medicine South Clinic.