ORAL RABIES VACCINATION OF ARCTIC FOXES (ALOPEX-LAGOPUS) WITH AN ATTENUATED VACCINE

Arctic foxes were immunized with the SAG1 oral rabies vaccine. The eff ectiveness was determined by the serological response and by the survi val to a challenge dose of rabies virus from an Alaskan fox. Vaccine v irus was isolated from saliva 1 h after the liquid vaccine was placed directly into the mouth but not subsequently (tested up to 1 week post vaccination). Two weeks after vaccination, protective antibody levels were present in all foxes and all vaccinated foxes survived challenge at 9 weeks postvaccination. At 26 weeks postvaccination (17 weeks post challenge) all but one fox had detectable antibody levels. Neural tiss ue harvested from surviving foxes was negative for rabies virus by dir ect immunofluorescent testing. One of the foxes vaccinated with SAG1 s eroconverted and survived challenge even though the titre of the vacci ne used was almost 4 logs less than that used to vaccinate the other f oxes. These results suggest that the avirulent SAG1 oral rabies vaccin e is very effective in protecting arctic foxes.