[Comparison of duck embryo vaccine and Hempt's vaccine for rabies vaccination (author's transl)].

For many years, Hempt's vaccine has been used in Germany for vaccination against rabies. In recent years the duck embryo vaccine has been gradually introduced in its place. From 1970 to 1975, 658 consultations were undertaken at the Hospital of the Tropical Institute at Hamburg because of the risk of rabies. 267 persons had to undergo vaccination, 159 of them being treated with Hempt's vaccine and 108 with duck embryo vaccine. Side effects of a more severe type were not seen in either group. Disadvantages of the duck embryo vaccine are that more individual inoculations are necessary, significantly more frequent and more persistent local and general vaccination reactions occur and that there is a delayed, possibly weaker formation of antibodies.