title: Implementation and monitoring of oral rabies vaccination of foxes in Kosovo between 2010 and 2013--an international and intersectorial effort.
abstract: The European Union has used instrument for pre-accession (IPA) funds to provide technical assistance and supplies for the eradication, monitoring and control of rabies in several pre-accession countries. As a result, since 2010, multi-annual oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programmes for eliminating fox rabies have been launched in six Western Balkan countries. Here the implementation of the ORV programme in Kosovo, the smallest of the West Balkan countries, is described. Associated challenges under difficult political conditions, potential biases, and the results of rabies surveillance and monitoring of ORV campaigns (bait uptake and immunisation rates) since 2010 are reported.
authors.affiliation: Rabies Department, Kimron Veterinary Institute, 20250 Bet Dagan, Israel.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yakobson
authors.affiliation: Kosovo Veterinary Laboratory, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Izedin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goga
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17943 Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany.
authors.forename: Conrad M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Freuling
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK; Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, L69 7BE, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Fooks
authors.affiliation: Food and Veterinary Agency, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Valdet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gjinovci
authors.affiliation: Kosovo Veterinary Laboratory, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Beqe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hulaj
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK; School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Surrey Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7TE, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Horton
authors.affiliation: Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Control and/or Eradication of Animal Diseases, EuropeAid/132620/C/SER/XK, Pan Livestock Services Ltd, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Jeton
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muhaxhiri
authors.affiliation: Control and/or Eradication of Animal Diseases, EuropeAid/132620/C/SER/XK, Pan Livestock Services Ltd, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: Ilir
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Recica
authors.affiliation: Rabies Department, Kimron Veterinary Institute, 20250 Bet Dagan, Israel.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: Control and/or Eradication of Animal Diseases, EuropeAid/132620/C/SER/XK, Pan Livestock Services Ltd, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo; Support for the control and eradication of animal diseases, IPA Multibeneficiary Project Western Balkans, EuropeAid/129988/C/SER/MULTI, Opera S.c.a.r.l., 00197 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Flaherty
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Research Unit (VEERU) & PAN Livestock Services Ltd., University of Reading, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading RG6 6AR, UK.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Research Unit (VEERU) & PAN Livestock Services Ltd., University of Reading, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading RG6 6AR, UK.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilsmore
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17943 Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany. Electronic address: thomas.mueller@fli.bund.de.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D005589:Foxes; D063826:Kosovo; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D011819:Rabies Vaccines
keywords: Fox; Kosovo; Oral rabies vaccination; Rabies; Rabies control; Western Balkans