scholarly journals The Successful Elimination of Sylvatic Rabies Using Oral Vaccination of Foxes in Slovenia

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 405
Author(s):  
Danijela Černe ◽  
Peter Hostnik ◽  
Ivan Toplak
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
High Similarity ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Low Genetic Diversity ◽  
Rabies Vaccination

Sylvatic rabies was present in Slovenia between 1973 and 2013, with the red fox as the main reservoir of the rabies virus. The first oral rabies vaccination (ORV) control program in foxes started in 1988, using the manual distribution of baits. Significant improvement of fox vaccination was achieved with the aerial distribution of baits, starting in 1995 and successfully finished with the final, fifty-ninth vaccination campaign in 2019. Between 1979 and 2019, a total of 86,471 samples were tested, and 10,975 (12.69%) rabies-positive animals were identified. Within the ORV, two different vaccines were used, containing modified live virus strain Street Alabama Dufferin (SAD) B19 and SAD Bern, while the last ORV campaigns were completed in 2019, with a vaccine containing a genetically modified strain of SPBN GASGAS. Molecular epidemiological studies of 95 rabies-positive samples, originating from red foxes, badgers, cattle, dogs, martens, cats, and horses, revealed a low genetic diversity of circulating strains and high similarity to strains from neighboring countries. During the elimination program, few vaccine-induced rabies cases were detected: three in red foxes and one case in a marten, with no epidemiological relevance. Slovenia has been officially declared a country free of rabies since 2016.

scholarly journals Wildlife and Bait Density Monitoring to Describe the Effectiveness of a Rabies Vaccination Program in Foxes

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Paolo Tizzani ◽  
Angela Fanelli ◽  
Carsten Potzsch ◽  
Joerg Henning ◽  
Srdjan Šašić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
Density Data ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Critical Areas ◽  
Vaccination Campaigns ◽  
Time Evaluation ◽  
Rabies Vaccination ◽  
Wildlife Reservoir

Fox rabies has been eliminated from vast areas of West and Central Europe, but cases still occur in the Balkans. Oral vaccination is an effective method for reducing the incidence of the disease in wildlife, but it requires monitoring if bait density is adequate for the density of the wildlife reservoir. We developed a methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of aerial vaccination campaigns conducted in Montenegro during autumn 2011 and spring 2012. The effectiveness of the vaccination campaign was assessed by (i) estimating the density of baits, (ii) estimating the distribution of the red fox, (iii) identifying critical areas of insufficient bait density by combining both variables. Although the two vaccination campaigns resulted in 45% and 47% of the country’s total area not reaching recommended density of 20 baits/km2, the consecutive delivery of both campaigns reduced these “gaps” to 6%. By combining bait and reservoir density data, we were able to show that bait density was lower than fox density in only 5% of Montenegro’s territory. The methodology described can be used for real-time evaluation of aerial vaccine delivery campaigns, to identify areas with insufficient bait densities.

scholarly journals The field efficiency of oral rabies vaccination in the Lithuanian red fox population from 2006 to 2013

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (No. 6) ◽  
pp. 299-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Zienius ◽  
G. Pridotkas ◽  
I. Jaceviciene ◽  
M. Ruzauskas
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
Biological Marker ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Elisa Test ◽  
Entire Period ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Field Efficiency ◽  
Rabies Vaccination ◽  
Sera Samples

The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy of an oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program in the period from 2006 to 2013 based on epidemiological data (Incidence of confirmed rabies in red foxes), biological marker evaluation (presence of tetracycline [TTC] indicating bait uptake), and the assessment of seroconversion (based on ELISA for rabies antibodies) in red foxes in Lithuania. Results were compared between juvenile and adult red foxes, and between the spring (March to May) and autumn (October to December) campaigns. On average, 20 baits/km<sup>2 </sup>were distributed over the entire territory of Lithuania. During the entire period of 2006&ndash;2013 1179 red foxes (10% of 11 829) were rabies-positive. While in 2006, 23.8% of tested foxes were rabies-positive, the incidence decreased to 2.4% in 2009, and 0.7% in 2011. Based on jaw bone investigation 78.1% of the foxes had ingested TTC from baits, 52.2% had seroconverted. The percentage of ELISA-positive red fox sera samples remained stable at 44.7&ndash;53.2% during both most recent ORV periods. The majority were adults (83%), 81.1 &plusmn; 8.54% of which were TCC-positive, and 73.8 &plusmn; 6.33% were TTC-positive juveniles. 52.5 &plusmn; 5.81% of adult red foxes had seroconversed, while 48.2 &plusmn; 4.51% of the young animals had a positive ELISA test in the years 2006 to 2013. This is in contrast to 2006 where only 29.5% of the young foxes were ELISA-positive. There were no significant differences between TTC- and ELISA-positive populations in different geographical regions of Lithuania. &nbsp;

scholarly journals Analysis of seroprevalence in target wildlife during the oral rabies vaccination programme in Lithuania

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dainius Zienius ◽  
Janina Mickutė ◽  
Arnoldas Pautienius ◽  
Juozas Grigas ◽  
Arunas Stankevičius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Red Fox ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
Buffer Zones ◽  
Target Populations ◽  
Juvenile Animal ◽  
Free Status ◽  
Rabies Vaccination ◽  
Sera Samples

Abstract Background Rabies vaccination of wildlife carnivores is a powerful tool to prevent, control and eliminate rabies. The presence of neutralizing rabies antibodies in blood is considered a reliable indicator of adequate vaccination. The main purpose of the present study was to analyze the seroprevalence of specific antibodies in target populations of Lithuanian red fox (RF) and raccoon dog (RD) during the oral rabies vaccination (ORV) campaigns during the 2010–2019 period. Results Over the ten-year period, 7,261 RF and 2,146 RD sera samples were collected post-mortem in field conditions and tested using a commercial standardized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit in Lithuania. In the ORV spring and autumn vaccination periods, 31.8% (20.3–43.4 95% CI – 95% confidence interval) and 31.7% (21.2–42.1 95% CI) of RF, and 34.1% (22.5–45.7 95% CI) and 34.7% (22.7–46.7 95% CI) of RD sera samples, respectively, were identified as ELISA-positive (seroconversion ≥ 0.5 EU/mL—Equivalent Units per Millilitre). The seroprevalence analysis in adult/ juvenile animal subpopulations indicated that 34.9% (27.2–42.5 95% CI) and 29.2% (20.3–37.9 95% CI) of RF, and 35.6% (25.2–46.0 95% CI) and 30.6% (20.2–40.9 95% CI) of RD sera samples, respectively, were identified as ELISA-positive (seroconversion ≥ 0.5 EU/mL). Statistically strong determinate correlations (r) between the serological results (pos.%) in RF adult/juvenile animal subpopulations (r = 0.937) and between RF and RD positive seroconvert (pos.%) sera samples during the spring vaccinations (r = 0.864) were demonstrated. In different ORV periods, 14–29% of RF and 7–25% of RD sera samples were identified as ELISA-negative (seroconversion < 0.5 EU/mL), but with low (0.125 < 0.49 EU/mL) antibody (Abs) titres. Conclusions The 2010–2019 ORV programme has been an effective tool in both RF and RD populations in Lithuania. The rabies-free status of Lithuania was self-declared in 2015 with only three rabies cases identified in buffer zones since then. The percentage of ELISA-positive serum samples (seroconversion ≥ 0.5 EU/mL) during the different periods of vaccination was similar in RF and RD populations—32% and 34% respectively. The identified seroconversion average of 21.5% in RF and 16% in RD sera samples were officially identified as ELISA-negative (seronversion < 0.5 EU/mL), but with low 0.125 < 0.49 EU/mL Abs titres. That low, but positive seroconversion participated in the formation of populations overall immune status and can influence the interpretation of oral vaccination efficacy.

Evaluation of the first oral rabies vaccination campaign of the red foxes in Greece

Vaccine ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laskarina-Maria Korou ◽  
Konstantia E. Tasioudi ◽  
Myrsini Tzani ◽  
Athanasios Konstantinidis ◽  
Aikaterini Plevraki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Rabies Vaccination

First report of Trichinella pseudospiralis in Poland, in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bożena Moskwa ◽  
Katarzyna Goździk ◽  
Justyna Bień ◽  
Anna Borecka ◽  
Jakub Gawor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Large Subunit ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
First Report ◽  
Infected Meat ◽  
Etiological Agents

AbstractNematode worms of the genus Trichinella are one of the most widespread zoonotic pathogens. Natural transmission between hosts can only occur through the ingestion of infected meat. To date, two Trichinella species are known to be etiological agents of disease among domestic animals and wildlife in Poland: T. spiralis and T. britovi. In the last decades, since the administration of an oral vaccination against rabies, the red fox population in Poland has increased exponentially. The study area covers the Nowy Targ region: a mountainous area (585–1138 m above the sea) in southern Poland. Of 24 red foxes examined in the study, four were infected with Trichinella isolates: three were identified as T. britovi and one as T. pseudospiralis. The muscle of red foxes infected with T. britovi harboured 2.75, 3.11, 4.4 LPG and with T. pseudospiralis 0.36 LPG. Trichinella larvae were identified at species level by genomic and mitochondrial multiplex PCR, the products of which were sequenced for comparison with other sequences available in GenBank. The sequences obtained from the Polish T. pseudospiralis isolate, deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers JQ809660.1 and JQ809661.1, matched sequences already published in GenBank. Sequence comparison showed a 100% match with the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene of T. pseudospiralis isolate ISS 013, and a 96–95% match with those of T. pseudospiralis isolates ISS 141 and ISS 470. This is the first report of the identification of T. pseudospiralis larvae from red fox in Poland.

scholarly journals Maintain and control of vaccination belt along neighbouring rabies infected area

2012 ◽  
Vol 66 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 59-71
Author(s):  
P. Hostnik ◽  
Maurer Wernig ◽  
Danijela Rihtaric ◽  
J. Grom ◽  
T. Malovrh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccination Campaign ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Oral Vaccination ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Infected Area ◽  
Southern Border ◽  
The Stability ◽  
And Control

The programme of oral vaccination of wildlife started in 1988 in Slovenia and is based on our and the experiences of other countries. Red foxes are the main reservoir of rabies in Slovenia. When the oral vaccination programme started in whole territory of Slovenia in the year 1995, 1089 (28.75%) of tested animals were detected positive among wild and domestic animals. Four years later only 6 (0.5%) positive cases were detected among 1195 tested animals. The number of positive cases been increased again in 2001 to 135 cases. Between 2002 and 2008 the vaccination was done only in the protection zone, a 30 to 50 km wide belt along the southern border with Croatia because no new rabies cases were found in the north-west region of the country. When rabies was reintroduced in Italy in 2008 the vaccination was carried out again in the whole territory of Slovenia. In order to improve the vaccination campaign the stability of two vaccines was measured over 8 weeks. In both vaccines the drop of the virus titre was the highest when baits were placed in the sunlight, but, in the shadow, the virus was detected until day 53 of observation. The aim of this study is to summarise the current status of rabies and to look for the best solutions in the next vaccination campaign.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a Pseudovirus Neutralization Assay for SARS-CoV-2 and Correlation with Live Virus-Based Micro Neutralization Assay

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 994
Author(s):  
Ahmed Majdi K. Tolah ◽  
Sayed S. Sohrab ◽  
Khaled Majdi K. Tolah ◽  
Ahmed M. Hassan ◽  
Sherif A. El-Kafrawy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Neutralization Assay ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Spike Gene ◽  
Microneutralization Assay ◽  
Viral Particles ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Prior Infection

The unusual cases of pneumonia outbreak were reported from Wuhan city in late December 2019. Serological testing provides a powerful tool for the identification of prior infection and for epidemiological studies. Pseudotype virus neutralization assays are widely used for many viruses and applications in the fields of serology. The accuracy of pseudotype neutralizing assay allows for its use in low biosafety lab and provides a safe and effective alternative to the use of wild-type viruses. In this study, we evaluated the performance of this assay compared to the standard microneutralization assay as a reference. The lentiviral pseudotype particles were generated harboring the Spike gene of SARS-CoV-2. The generated pseudotype particles assay was used to evaluate the activity of neutralizing antibodies in 300 human serum samples from a COVID-19 sero-epidemiological study. Testing of these samples resulted in 55 positive samples and 245 negative samples by pseudotype viral particles assay while microneutralization assay resulted in 64 positive and 236 negative by MN assay. Compared to the MN, the pseudotyped viral particles assay showed a sensitivity of 85.94% and a specificity of 100%. Based on the data generated from this study, the pseudotype-based neutralization assay showed a reliable performance for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and can be used safely and efficiently as a diagnostic tool in a biosafety level 2 laboratory.

Potential remedy against Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes using baits with anthelmintic distributed around fox breeding dens in Hokkaido, Japan

Parasitology ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 125 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. TSUKADA ◽  
K. HAMAZAKI ◽  
S. GANZORIG ◽  
T. IWAKI ◽  
K. KONNO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Echinococcus Multilocularis ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Clethrionomys Rufocanus ◽  
Efficient Control ◽  
Positive Rate ◽  
Potential Remedy ◽  
Patent Infection

The effect of bait-delivered anthelmintic to reduce the prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in wild red foxes was evaluated in Koshimizu, in the eastern part of Hokkaido, Japan. The study area (200 km2) was divided into baited and non-baited sections. The anthelmintic baits were distributed around fox den sites in the baited section every month for 13 months. After 1 year of the anthelmintic bait distribution, the prevalence of E. multilocularis in foxes, evaluated either by the parasite egg examination (from 27.1 to 5.6%) or coproantigen ELISA (from 59.6 to 29.7%), decreased in the baited section contrasting to that in the non-baited section (parasite egg: from 18.8 to 24.2%; ELISA: from 41.9 to 45.8%). The prevalence of E. multilocularis in grey red-backed vole Clethrionomys rufocanus, caught around fox dens, born after bait distribution also decreased and was significantly lower than that in non-baited section. However, within the study periods, the coproantigen-positive rate in fox faeces sporadically increased, while egg-positive rate constantly decreased. Since coproantigen ELISA can detect pre-patent infection, this observation indicates that reinfection pressure in the baited section was still high even after the 13 months of anthelmintic bait distribution. Therefore, the bait distribution longer than our study period is required for the efficient control of E. multilocularis in wild red fox population.

Variation in fur farm and wild populations of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Carnivora: Canidae) — Part I: Morphometry

2016 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Zatoń-Dobrowolska ◽  
Magdalena Moska ◽  
Anna Mucha ◽  
Heliodor Wierzbicki ◽  
Piotr Przysiecki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Selective Breeding ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Morphometric Traits ◽  
Red Foxes ◽  
Ear Height ◽  
Morphological Differences ◽  
The Right ◽  
Almost All

This paper demonstrates the influence of artificial selection on morphometric traits in the red fox [Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758)]. Measurements and two proportion coefficients were analysed in 132 wild and 199 farm red foxes. The two groups differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) on all but one of the measurements. Eight out of 11 measurements were significantly greater in the farm fox population, while only tail length, ear height, and length of the right hind limb were greater in the population of wild foxes. The opposite trend was observed when analysing variation in the measurements — the farm foxes were characterized by a greater variability only in the case of body weight, body length, and breadth of chest. When analysing the sexual dimorphism index in different sex and population groups, in almost all analysed traits, the greatest differences occurred between farm males and wild females. All of the traits examined in this study are important for survival of wild foxes. However, because importance of some traits was reduced during domestication and selective breeding (farm foxes do not have to fight for survival), the genetic relationship between them may have weakened. Other possible causes of morphological differences between the studied groups of red foxes are discussed as well.

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