Animal Vaccines

Rabies in terrestrial animals, primarily carnivores, is caused by the classic genotype 1 rabies virus. Even though the widespread vaccination of domestic dogs has been the one most effective factor in the reduction of human rabies, the number of human deaths worldwide is greater than that of the combined deaths from polio, meningococcal meningitis, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever, severe acute respiratory syndrome and avian influenze (bird flu).Tools are available in highly efficacious and safe animal and human vaccines. Multiple factors can, however, prevent their use effectively in many areas of the world. For several decades, virtually all rabies nerve tissue origin (NTO) vaccines were inactivated with phenol using the method described by Semple. The NTO vaccines currently in use for mass vaccination campaigns in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean are primarily produced from rabies virus-infected suckling mouse brains or lamb brains. These vaccines are shown to be effective in campaigns. However, NTO-killed vaccines for dogs and other animals have often, in the past, resulted in post-vaccinal nervous system reactions that could result in the death of the vaccinated animals.