Anyone know about rabies vaccines?

[IckyNC]

NC in case this gets identifying!
So I am 28, and had the course of 3 rabies vaccines december 2003 (aged 13).
Then in 2012 (aged 21) I had the Rabies BP booster. My mum wrote in my vaccination book that it lasted 3 years (to 2015), but the nurse I saw today thought it was 10 years (to 2022)...

I am going to rabies risk areas next month, and I can't work out if I need another booster??? Does anyone know? (sources please)

For travellers, 1 booster dose may be considered if you were vaccinated more than a year ago and you're travelling to a high-risk area again.

From NHS website

I cant see anything to suggest that protection is long lasting. How high risk will you be?

You shouldn’t need another booster.

The Green Book (our immunisation bible) says:

Routine booster doses are not recommended for most travellers. A single booster dose of vaccine can be considered, following a risk assessment, in those who have completed a primary course over one year ago and are travelling again to a high risk (enzootic) area. A complete pre-exposure primary course is considered to be three doses over 21-28 days or an accelerated three dose course (over 7 days) plus an additional dose of vaccine at one year.

Remember that rabies vaccine essentially “buys you time” and isn’t in itself a prophylactic treatment.

Don't know how reliable the source is but found this :

Booster doses may be required after one year and then every 3-5 years for people whose work gives them a risk of contact with the rabies virus. People who are at a smaller risk by travelling again into areas with rabies may need a booster after ten years

patient.info/health/travel-vaccinations-leaflet/rabies-vaccine

You can have a blood test to check your immunity levels. That’s probably the best thing to do to see for certain whether you need it or not. As a PP says, it just buys you time.

Thanks guys!
@itbemay - I read that too and thought the 1 year thing referred to when you had the primary course?

Yeah I know it's a prophylactic - but the nurse said there's a shortage of the post-exposure treatment, so I feel like being up to date is quite important.

As to risk - I think officially it's lowish. We will do some light trekking in rural vietnam but I hate bats and rats and strange dogs and we'll be with a guided group, not just wandering around alone!

So I've spoken to a different nurse and apparently, if you've had the initial course of three, and then another booster, you're covered for life :)