VACCINES AGAINST RABIES

History of the vaccinal control against rabies has been reviewed from the first vaccine developed by Pasteur. Main properties of different ( brain, chicken embryo, cell culture, biosynthetic, synthetic) vaccine types have been demonstrated. More important characteristics of four s erotypes of Lyssavirus genus, separated by the WHO within the Rhabdovi ridae family, have been summarized. Questions of the oral vaccination of wildlife has also been treated, demonstrating the attenuated and re combinant live virus vaccines used for that purpose. Favorable experie nces obtained with the latter Vaccinia-Rabies (V-RG) vaccine in the Un ited States, Belgium and France have also been summarized. Problems of oral vaccination of dogs to be solved have also been reviewed. As a p ossibility, the adenovirus recombinant vaccine is mentioned for the or al immunization of dogs. In case of post-exposition vaccination of dom estic animals it has been mentioned that the number of vaccines for th at purpose is restricted (in Hungary only one) because of different ve terinary administrative regulations in different countries and due to the considerable costs. Advantages and disadvantages of live, attenuat ed and inactivated vaccines have been compared. It has been stressed t hat - according to the decision of WHO-live virus rabies vaccines can not be used in men. Even when the live attenuated virus of a vaccine f or veterinary use contaminates a man (vaccination accident) a post-inf ection vaccination should be carried out. Finally, causes of the sprea ding of polyvalent vaccines have been treated, underlining that the ef ficacy of these vaccines do not differ from that of monovalent vaccine s. Table 1 has summarized different chicken embryo or cell culture - l ive virus or inactivated - cat and dog rabies vaccines. Tables 2 and 3 have demonstrated the mono- and polyvalent inactivated rabies vaccine s registered in Hungary.