Evaluation of a canine rabies vaccination campaign and characterization of owned-dog populations in the Philippines.

A mass canine rabies vaccination campaign in Sorsogon Province, the Republic of the Philippines, was conducted in April and May 1993. From 1 to 14 days following visits by vaccination teams to 30 selected villages (barangays), survey teams revisited the barangays to assess vaccine coverage. Modified cluster survey methods were used to gather information about vaccine coverage in the owned-dog population (210 households) and about characteristics of owned-dogs and factors influencing owner willingness to participate in the campaign. Vaccinated dogs were identified by asking owners about receipt of certificates given by the vaccinating teams and examining each animal for a special collar or paint mark placed on the animal at the time of vaccination. Survey results indicated that 73% (178/243) of eligible dogs were vaccinated and 82% of vaccinated dogs were marked with a collar or paint. Dogs were owned by 69% of households and ranged in age from 3 days to 13 years (median = 1 year), and the ratio of male to females dogs was 1:1. The dog-to-human ratio was 1:3.8, with an average of 1.4 dogs per household or 2.1 dogs per dog-owning household. Most dogs were kept as guards (83%) and most were free-ranging (85%). The most common reasons dogs were not vaccinated included they could not be restrained (11/64), the owner was not home (10/64), and fear of injury resulting from vaccination (10/64). The owners of 20% of vaccinated dogs reported some adverse reaction in their pet. Improved vaccine coverage was significantly associated with restrained dogs kept primarily for guard functions by owners who received information about the vaccination campaign from multiple sources. Vaccine coverage was sufficiently high to potentially control rabies transmission among dogs through herd immunity and indicated a successful vaccine campaign.

Nuevas observaciones de la infección de roedores por el virus Junin dentro y fuera de la zona endemica de la Fiebre Hemorragica Argentina / [New findings on Junin virus infection in rodents inside and outside the endemic area of hemorrhagic fever in Argentina]

In conjunction with field trials for a vaccine against Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever (AHF), small mammals were trapped during a 28-month period (1 November 1987 to 13 March 1990) in 3 epidemiologically defined areas of the central Argentine pampas: northern and central Buenos Aires provinces were included in the AHF [quot ]historic[quot ] area, where the disease was common 15-20 years ago, but case rates are currently low; southern Santa Fe province is the current high-incidence area for AHF; the nonendemic area was represented by two localities 60-90 km beyond the northernmost extension of human disease. Animals were live-trapped for 3 days per month in permanent [quot ]mark-recapture[quot ] grids in each of the 3 areas. Samples of blood, sera, and oral swabs were taken from these animals before they were marked and released at the site of capture. In addition, [quot ]removal[quot ] traplines provided animals from 16 localities in these 3 areas which were sacrificed to obtain samples of organs in addition to the aforementioned samples. Samples were tested for the presence of Junin virus (JV) antigen by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). In this assay, a pool of 13 mouse anti-JV glycoprotein and nucleocapsid monoclonal antibodies adsorbed to the surface of microtiter plates was used to capture JV antigen in sample suspensions. A polyclonal rabbit anti-JV antiserum was added as a detector antibody, and an anti-rabbit antibody conjugated to horseradish peroxidase applied with substrate to complete the sandwich.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)