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Am Fam Physician. 2013;88(10):636

Error in testing interval for tuberculosis and dosing regimen for rabies, and missing information regarding measurement of neutralizing rabies antibodies. The article “Postexposure Prophylaxis for Common Infectious Diseases” (July 1, 2013, p. 25) contained several errors. In the first statement in the fourth column (Regimen) of the last row of Table 3 (p. 29), the statement should have indicated that a tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma release assay should be performed at baseline and at eight to 12 weeks after exposure to tuberculosis, rather than one month after exposure. In Table 2 (p. 27), the recommended postexposure prophylaxis regimen for rabies in previously unvaccinated persons provided an incorrect dosing schedule. The dosing regimen should have been as follows: “Rabies vaccine should be given as early as possible on days 0, 3, 7, and 14 post-exposure, in addition to human rabies immune globulin (20 units per kg in a single dose) on day 0. Rabies immune globulin should be infiltrated around the wounds first if anatomically feasible, with the rest administered IM into the gluteal region. If the person is immunocompromised, a fifth dose of rabies vaccine should be given on day 28.” Additionally, there should have been a footnote about measurement of neutralizing rabies antibodies pre- and postexposure in previously vaccinated persons. The footnote should have read: “The level of neutralizing rabies antibodies pre- and postexposure should not be routinely measured except in immunocompromised persons, in persons at continuous high risk, and in persons who have received non–cell-based rabies vaccine.” The online version of this article has been corrected.

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