Oral Vaccination of Captive Small Indian Mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) against Rabies

• Published in: Journal of wildlife diseases Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 1033 - 1036
• Main Authors: Vos, Ad, Kretzschmar, Antje, Ortmann, Steffen, Lojkic, Ivana, Habla, Christiane, Müller, Thomas, Kaiser, Christian, Hundt, Boris, Schuster, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wildlife Disease Association 01-10-2013
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Herpestidae; Mongoose; oral vaccination; rabies; Rabies - prevention & control; Rabies - veterinary; Rabies Vaccines - administration & dosage; Rabies Vaccines - immunology; SHORT COMMUNICATIONS; vaccine bait
• ISSN: 0090-3558; 1943-3700
• DOI: 10.7589/2013-02-035

The small Indian mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus), a rabies reservoir species on several Islands in the Caribbean, was successfully immunized against rabies for the first time by offering animals a vaccine bait specifically designed for this small carnivore. The bait contained on average 0.6 mL of the genetically modified replication-competent rabies virus construct SPBN GASGAS (108.5 focus-forming units/mL). Three of four mongooses offered a bait developed an immune response above 0.5 IU/mL, but the response was less pronounced than in two animals offered the vaccine by direct oral instillation.