Acceptance of simulated oral rabies vaccine baits by urban raccoons.
In summer 1986, a study was conducted to evaluate raccoon (Procyon lotor) acceptance of oral baits that could be used for rabies vaccination. One thousand wax-coated sponge bait cubes were filled with 5 mg of a seromarker (iophenoxic acid), placed in polyethylene bags, and hand-distributed in an 80 ha area within an urban National Park in Washington, D. C. (USA). After 3 wk, target and nontarget animals were trapped and blood samples collected to evaluate bait uptake. Thirty-three of 52 (63%) raccoons had elevated blood iodine levels indicating they had eaten at least one bait, 13 (25%) were negative, and six (12%) had marginal values. These results indicate that sponge baits hand-placed at a density of 12.4/ha can reach a significant proportion of an urban raccoon population. Implications for oral rabies vaccination of raccoons are discussed.
Hadidian
J
J
National Park Service, Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, D.C. 20242.
Jenkins
S R
SR
Johnston
D H
DH
Savarie
P J
PJ
Nettles
V F
VF
Manski
D
D
Baer
G M
GM
D000818:Animals; D004219:District of Columbia; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D007455:Iodine / Q000097:blood; D007480:Iopanoic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008297:Male; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011821:Raccoons / Q000502:physiology*
D011819:Rabies Vaccines; C008160:iophenoxic acid; D007455:Iodine; D007480:Iopanoic Acid