title: Immunogenicity and efficacy of Rabivac vaccine for animal rabies control in Morocco.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To fight animal rabies, Moroccan veterinary authorities organize annual dog mass vaccination campaigns using Rabivac vaccine, an inactivated adjuvanted cell culture veterinary rabies vaccine. Two experiments were undertaken to assess the efficacy and immunogenicity of Rabivac.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first experiment involved 13 caged dogs (8 vaccinated and 5 negative controls). Dogs were bled at day 0 (D0) and at days D7, D14, D21, D28, D35, D49, D56, D64, D70, D77, D84, D91, D98, D105, D112, and D119 post-vaccination. At D121, a virulent challenge was performed. After 70 days monitoring period, seven out of eight vaccinated dogs survived the challenge (one dog succumbed to a mesenteric torsion accident) and four out of five controls succumbed. All vaccinated dogs seroconverted and the control dogs remained negative. The second experiment consisted in a field study involving 919 owned dogs randomly selected in eight Moroccan districts located in different parts of the country. The dogs were identified and vaccinated by the parenteral route and bled on the vaccination day (D0) and on D30.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-two percent of dogs developed a positive rabies virus neutralizing antibody response to vaccination and 24% were positive at D0, suggesting that dogs were previously vaccinated. The increase in rabies antibody titers was highly significant in all districts. No significant difference seemed occurring between the geographical status (rural, semiurban, or urban) of the districts on the results obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rabivac is efficacious both in experimental and field conditions. This supports its use in dog mass vaccination campaigns.
authors: Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires, DPIV Rue Ikhlass CYM (BP4509 Akkari), Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Sami
authors: 0000-0002-9347-9625
authors: S
authors: Darkaoui
authors: Department of Pathology and Veterinary Public Health, Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II, IAV Hassan II (BP Rabat Instituts), Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Ouafaa
authors: 0000-0001-8056-7979
authors: O
authors: Fassi Fihri
authors: Nancy OIE/WHO/EU Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire de Pixérécourt, Malzéville, France.
authors: Jean Luc
authors: 0000-0003-0888-7286
authors: JL
authors: Schereffer
authors: Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires, DPIV Rue Ikhlass CYM (BP4509 Akkari), Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Nadia
authors: 0000-0002-5161-4585
authors: N
authors: Aboulfidaa
authors: Nancy OIE/WHO/EU Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire de Pixérécourt, Malzéville, France.
authors: Marine
authors: 0000-0001-5054-3634
authors: M
authors: Wasniewski
authors: Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires, DPIV Rue Ikhlass CYM (BP4509 Akkari), Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Karima
authors: 0000-0001-7871-1134
authors: K
authors: Zouine
authors: Department of Pathology and Veterinary Public Health, Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II, IAV Hassan II (BP Rabat Instituts), Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Mohammed
authors: 0000-0002-9682-8931
authors: M
authors: Bouslikhane
authors: Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires, DPIV Rue Ikhlass CYM (BP4509 Akkari), Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Khadija Id Sidi
authors: 0000-0001-6434-5153
authors: KI
authors: Yahia
authors: Nancy OIE/WHO/EU Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Technopôle Agricole et Vétérinaire de Pixérécourt, Malzéville, France.
authors: Florence
authors: 0000-0003-2237-1243
authors: F
authors: Cliquet
keywords: Dogs; Mass vaccination; Morocco; Neutralizing antibodies; Rabies vaccines