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Immunizations may be administered at various times during military service. “Routine” immunizations, the definition of which varies from country to country, may be given to all new recruits. Certain occupational groups may require special attention due to unique exposure to potential pathogens. Thus, a given military may offer medical personnel vaccination against hepatitis B virus, and animal handlers may receive pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis. Soldiers deployed to various regions of the world may receive additional vaccines, depending on the epidemiological characteristics of morbidity in the area of deployment. Finally, close contacts of ill soldiers may require immunization or chemo-prophylaxis for certain diseases, such as immunoglobulin for hepatitis A and direct observed therapy (DOT) with antibiotics for meningococcal meningitis. Some militaries actively develop new vaccines.