Is it advisable to have a rabies jab for going to south america?

Question

be visiting brazil, arg and uraguay. Please only people been there or live there to answer

Answer 1

if you going north of Brazil take  jab for yellow fever and if you  go for example amazon forest you can have for malaria too.we don't have problems with rabies in Brazil and as far as i know neither argentina and uruguay.

Answer 2

A lot depends on what you're going to be doing.  If you're going to be staying in big cities, then no.  If you're going to be travelling deep into the jungle / away from civilization for lengthy periods of time, then it would be worth considering it.

If you get bitten by anything that may (or does) have rabies, you still need to have follow up jabs anyway.  Having the vaccine in advance just gives you a longer 'window' before you MUST get that next shot.

I suggest you talk to you GP or call a travel clinic for professional advice. In the UK, try calling Trailfinders.

I should add that I have never had that particular jab and I've travelled quite extensively in South America.