[Antibodies to the rabies virus in humans working in a veterinary hospital environment at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Cuiabá, MT, Brazil].

A characterization of the serological profile of 102 workers in constant activities in a veterinary hospital environment at the Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso was made through epidemiological data and serological tests to the rabies virus from November 1999 to November 2000. Of these, 27 had been vaccinated in a pre-exposure scheme and 75 had not received any kind of antirabies immunization. The results of the study classified the people into four groups (G1, G2, G3 and G4). In G1, 19 (18.6%) people that had been previously vaccinated showed a titration level lower than 0.5UI/mL; in G2, 8 (7.8%) people who had been previously vaccinated showed a titration level higher than 0.5UI/mL; in G3, 67 (65.6%) people who had not been vaccinated against rabies virus showed a titration level lower than 0.5UI/mL; and finally in G4, 8 (7.8%) people who had never received any kind of vaccine scheme showed a titration level higher than 0.5UI/mL. The results showed that epidemiological evaluation and serological profile are necessary people working in a veterinary hospital environment while being pre-exposure vaccinated.