Update on oral vaccination of foxes and raccoon dogs against rabies
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Author
Berg, Charlotte
Bøtner, Anette
Browman, Howard
De Koeijer, Aline
Depner, Klaus
Ducrot, Christian
Edwards, Sandra
Fourichon, Christine
Koenen, Frank
More, Simon
Raj, Mohan
Sihvonen, Liisa
Spoolder, Hans
Stegeman, Jan Arend
Thulke, Hans-Hermann
Vågsholm, Ivar
Willeberg, Preben
Publication date
2015-07-14ISSN
1831-4732
Abstract
An assessment of a report issued by the European Commission in 2002 is presented about the oral
vaccination of foxes against rabies, as well as additional topics such as the rabies aetiology and its
occurrence in Europe, the target species for oral vaccination, i.e. foxes and raccoon dogs, the oral
vaccines available and their thermostability, rabies surveillance and monitoring, and the recent
international guidelines for rabies surveillance are discussed. Foxes are the only known reservoir for
rabies in Europe, and raccoon dogs are important transmitters, while other carnivores play a less
important epidemiological role. The demographic expansion of raccoon dogs and their movements
after hibernation are risk factors for rabies recurrence. The combined densities of foxes and raccoon
dogs, which often share the same habitats, could allow rabies epizootics to persist. The
epidemiological role and the pathogenesis of rabies in raccoon dogs and other carnivores must still be
clarified. Four vaccines are authorised in the EU and their effectiveness is proven to successfully
contribute to rabies elimination. Experimental and field evidence shows that climatic and weather
conditions may impact on bait casings and vaccine stability. Data on the stability of vaccine baits
under different field conditions should be provided. It is recommended that bait should keep its integrity at the release point. Because of bait stability issues, the season most appropriate for implementing oral rabies vaccination or a heat-stable vaccine should be considered. Rabies surveillance and monitoring of vaccination, based on assessment of bait uptake and seroconversion in host species, are important tools for the evaluation and adjustment of vaccination campaigns, although alternatives to tetracyclines as biomarkers should be developed. Oral immunisation by vaccine baits has proven to be successful in eliminating terrestrial wildlife rabies, but long-term strategy, temporal continuity of vaccination and cross-border cooperation are needed and recommended.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
636 - Animal husbandry and breeding in general. Livestock rearing. Breeding of domestic animals
Pages
70
Publisher
Wiley
Is part of
EFSA Journal
Citation
Berg, Charlotte, Anette Bøtner, Howard Browman, Aline De Koeijer, Klaus Depner, Mariano Domingo, and Christian Ducrot et al. 2015. “Scientific opinion Update on oral vaccination of foxes and raccoon dogs against rabies”. EFSA Journal 13(7):4164. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4164.
Program
Benestar Animal
Sanitat Animal
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- ARTICLES CIENTÍFICS [2777]
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