title: Seroconversion in captive African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) following administration of a chicken head bait/SAG-2 oral rabies vaccine combination.
abstract: This study determined the proportion of captive juvenile and adult African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) that developed protective titres of rabies neutralising antibodies following ingestion of a chicken head bait/SAG-2 oral rabies vaccine combination. A single chicken head containing 1.8 ml of SAG-2 vaccine (10(8.0) TCID50/ml) in a plastic blister was fed to each of eight adult and three juvenile wild dogs. Bait ingestion resulted in a significant rise in serum neutralising antibody titres. Overall seroconversion rate was eight out of 11 (72.7%), and all the puppies and five out of eight (62.5%) adults showed potentially protective levels of antibodies on day 31. The mean post-vaccination neutralising antibody titre was within the range reported to be protective against challenge with virulent rabies virus in other species.
authors.affiliation: Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002 South Africa. d.l.knobel@sms.ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Knobel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liebenberg
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Du Toit
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002335:Carnivora; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D011819:Rabies Vaccines