Lack of impact of ABO blood group or corresponding isoantibodies on the immune response after rabies vaccination

Demand for rabies hyperimmunoglobulin has increased recently, requiring optimization of vaccination schemes for immunized plasma donors. Possible resemblance of rabies vaccine to blood group antigens and consequential association of the immune response to rabies vaccine and blood group or corresponding isoantibodies has not yet been investigated. We analyzed antirabies antibodies after rabies vaccination and ABO blood group in 142 individuals, and isoantibody titers in 92 of those individuals. We did not find any correlation of the immune response with blood group or isoantibody levels. There was also no correlation with the sex of individuals, but there was a weak correlation between age and rabies-specific antibody level. Rabies vaccination schemes for immunized donors cannot be optimized on the basis of blood groups or isoantibody titers.