Immunogenicity in dogs vaccinated against rabies with a highly safe and efficacious 3rd generation oral rabies vaccine in longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.
Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
Although oral vaccination of dogs against rabies is considered a promising and beneficial approach, the effectiveness of oral rabies vaccines inducing a protective (humoral) immune response in local free-roaming dogs is often questioned. To address concerns regarding this issue, an analysis was conducted to evaluate the immunogenicity and serological response to the oral rabies vaccine strain SPBN GASGAS in dogs. Serological data from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies conducted under both experimental and field conditions were analysed. Factors influencing the post-vaccination serological response, including bait matrix, sachet type, vaccine titre, and dog origin, were compared, and challenges and limitations in the serological assessment of oral vaccination in dog populations were examined. In addition, the kinetics of rabies virus-binding antibodies following vaccination were analysed and interpreted in the context of SPBN GASGAS-induced rabies-specific immunoglobulin classes. The analyses demonstrate that free-roaming dogs, irrespective of origin, develop a measurable, consistent, and long-lasting humoral immune response following vaccination with SPBN GASGAS. This response is comparable to that observed in dogs under experimental conditions and non-inferior to that induced by parenteral administration of inactivated rabies vaccines. These findings highlight the substantial potential of oral vaccination of free-roaming dogs as a complementary tool within integrated
Abstract
Although oral vaccination of dogs against rabies is considered a promising and beneficial approach, the effectiveness of oral rabies vaccines inducing a protective (humoral) immune response in local free-roaming dogs is often questioned. To address concerns regarding this issue, an analysis was conducted to evaluate the immunogenicity and serological response to the oral rabies vaccine strain SPBN GASGAS in dogs. Serological data from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies conducted under both experimental and field conditions were analysed. Factors influencing the post-vaccination serological response, including bait matrix, sachet type, vaccine titre, and dog origin, were compared, and challenges and limitations in the serological assessment of oral vaccination in dog populations were examined. In addition, the kinetics of rabies virus-binding antibodies following vaccination were analysed and interpreted in the context of SPBN GASGAS-induced rabies-specific immunoglobulin classes. The analyses demonstrate that free-roaming dogs, irrespective of origin, develop a measurable, consistent, and long-lasting humoral immune response following vaccination with SPBN GASGAS. This response is comparable to that observed in dogs under experimental conditions and non-inferior to that induced by parenteral administration of inactivated rabies vaccines. These findings highlight the substantial potential of oral vaccination of free-roaming dogs as a complementary tool within integrated rabies elimination programmes.