title: Documenting freedom from disease and re-establishing a free status after a breakdown. Rabies.
abstract: Rabies reappeared in Finland in the spring of 1988 after a 29-year absence. This time rabies occurred in sylvatic form and the major species involved was the raccoon dog. During the outbreak 1988-89 66 animals were diagnosed rabid. Vaccination of cats, cattle and horses was strongly recommended and vaccination of dogs was compulsory in the outbreak area. A field trial was started on oral immunisation of raccoon dogs and foxes against rabies using baits containing rabies vaccine strain. The outbreak area and a wide buffer zone were baited three times. Finland was declared free of rabies again in 1991. Oral vaccination campaign with vaccine baits has been organised along the south-eastern border once a year since the beginning of 90s. Continuous surveillance and epidemiological screening is necessary to detect any new outbreaks of rabies at an early stage.
authors.affiliation: National Veterinary and Food Research Institute, Department of Virology and Epidemiology, P.O. Box 368, SF-00231 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sihvonen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004285:Dogs; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005589:Foxes; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011818:Rabies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*