Iophenoxic Acid as a Serum Marker in Carnivores

• Published in: The Journal of wildlife management Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 49 - 51
• Main Authors: Baer, George M., Shaddock, John H., Hayes, David J., Savarie, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD The Wildlife Society 01-01-1985; Wildlife Society
• Subjects: Animal viral diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Biological markers; Carnivores; Dogs; Foxes; Infectious diseases; Iodine; Medical sciences; Pills; Rabies; Vaccination; Viral diseases; Vulpes vulpes; Zoonoses; Infection; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Viral disease; Rabies; Serum; X ray; Marker; Fox
• ISSN: 0022-541X; 1937-2817
• DOI: 10.2307/3801841

Several laboratories have been involved in research on the oral immunization of foxes (Vulpes sp.) against rabies in attempts to control the disease in wild animals since 1962. This control method was recently field-tested in foxes in a Swiss canton, where tetracycline was added to the baits to identify the foxes by measuring the antibiotic in the dentine layer of the teeth. An organic iodine-containing chemical known as iophenoxic acid used as a contrast agent in diagnostic X-rays, can be detected in the sera of animals ingesting iophenoxic acid-marked baits by the elevated level of protein-bound iodine. The authors fed iophenoxic acid to red foxes (V. vulpes ) and dogs to determine if the ingestion of this material, given via enteric-coated tablets, would result in detectable iodine levels in the blood.