Evaluation of the safety of two attenuated oral rabies vaccines, SAG1 and SAG2, in six Arctic mammals.
The safety of two attenuated oral rabies vaccines was evaluated in mink and in five species of rodents which occur in the Arctic. A 0.03 ml sample of liquid vaccine was installed directly into the mouth of voles and lemmings and 0.1 ml into the mouth of Arctic ground squirrels and mink. Animals were euthanized at 36 and 46 days postexposure; brain tissue was analyzed by FAT and serum by RFFIT. No rabies deaths occurred in 47 animals tested. Four animals representing three rodent species seroconverted, the highest titer being 0.5 IU ml-1. The absence of rabies virus in brain tissue indicates the safety of these vaccines in these species. The replacement of arginine with glutamic acid at position 333 reduces the pathogenicity of these vaccines, thereby presumably preventing the deleterious effect of viral entry into CNS neurons.
Follmann
E H
EH
Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks 99775-7000, USA.
Ritter
D G
DG
Baer
G M
GM
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D003411:Arvicolinae; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008907:Mink; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000821:virology*; D012589:Sciuridae; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use
D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated