Final answer:
Post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies is an example of tertiary prevention, which is used after someone has been potentially exposed to a rabid animal to prevent the progression of the virus into a severe neurological condition. c) Post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of tertiary prevention is post-exposure prophylaxis for rabies after an individual has been bitten by a potentially rabid animal. Tertiary prevention aims to manage and reduce the impact of an already established disease by helping the individuals manage long-term, complex diseases to improve as much as possible their quality of life, functionality, and lifespan. In the specific case of rabies, a fatal neurological disease, timely intervention after exposure is crucial for preventing the virus from entering the nervous system and causing more severe health consequences.
When a patient is bitten by a dog with a confirmed rabies infection and is treated with antibodies specific for the rabies virus, this is known as artificial active immunity. It is considered a tertiary prevention method because it is a direct action taken to combat the effects of a potential infection after exposure has already occurred.
The effectiveness of rabies vaccination after exposure benefits from the fact that the progression of the disease allows a window of time before the virus reaches the central nervous system. This window allows for the vaccination to take place and elicit an immune response strong enough to neutralize the virus before it causes severe neurological damage. Unlike domestic animals, humans are not typically vaccinated for rabies because the likelihood of encountering a rabid animal is significantly less, making pre-exposure prophylaxis less necessary.