title: Effects of a modified-live virus canine distemper vaccine on captive badgers (Taxidea taxus).
abstract: We vaccinated six captive badgers housed with five controls, and monitored blood antibody titers and white cell counts of both groups for 63 days postvaccination between 29 August and 3 December 1992. Five vaccinated badgers responded with antibody titers ranging from 1:64 to 1:1024 by 63 days postvaccination, whereas the sixth badger did not respond. Treatment badgers also had significant (P < 0.05) decreases in lymphocytes on days 16, 29, and 63. No badgers developed clinical signs of distemper. Control badgers did not produce antibodies against CD virus; thus, the vaccine virus probably was not transmitted between treatment and control animals. The vaccine appears safe for use in healthy badgers, but additional safety and efficacy study is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Physiology University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Goodrich
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Buskirk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002335:Carnivora; D004216:Distemper / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D014765:Viral Vaccines