VACCINATION TRIAL OF FOXES BY DEPOSITING VACCINE BAITS AT THE ENTRANCE OF DENS

In an area of low hills and plateaux in France (departement du Doubs), where distributions of rabies vaccine baits are organised currently i n spring and autumn for eliminating fox rabies, vaccine baits have add itionnally been deposited over a 336 km(2) area at the entrance of den s in order to reach more fox cubs. During the first week of June 1995, 6099 baits were distributed at the entrance of 574 dens. In this area , 77% of fox cubs have taken one bait at least and 40% of them were im munised against rabies. In the neighbouring areas where vaccine baits were distributed by helicopter only, this percentage were significantl y lower (43 and 4% respectively). Moreover, in the first situation, th e fox cubs that had eaten baits, had eaten a larger number of them. Di stribution of vaccine baits at the entrance of the dens requires more time and man power that the distribution by helicopter. However, becau se it allows to vaccinate a high percentage of fox cubs impossible to obtain by other methods, it is useful for eliminating rabies in remnan t foci.