Implementation and monitoring of oral rabies vaccination of foxes in Kosovo between 2010 and 2013--an international and intersectorial effort

Boris Yakobson; Izedin Goga; Conrad M Freuling; Anthony R Fooks; Valdet Gjinovci; Beqe Hulaj; Daniel Horton; Nicholas Johnson; Jeton Muhaxhiri; Ilir Recica; Dan David; Richard O'Flaherty; Nick Taylor; Tony Wilsmore; Thomas Müller

doi:10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.07.009

Implementation and monitoring of oral rabies vaccination of foxes in Kosovo between 2010 and 2013--an international and intersectorial effort

Int J Med Microbiol. 2014 Oct;304(7):902-10. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.07.009. Epub 2014 Jul 25.

Authors

Boris Yakobson¹, Izedin Goga², Conrad M Freuling³, Anthony R Fooks⁴, Valdet Gjinovci⁵, Beqe Hulaj², Daniel Horton⁶, Nicholas Johnson⁷, Jeton Muhaxhiri⁸, Ilir Recica⁸, Dan David¹, Richard O'Flaherty⁹, Nick Taylor¹⁰, Tony Wilsmore¹⁰, Thomas Müller¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Rabies Department, Kimron Veterinary Institute, 20250 Bet Dagan, Israel.
² Kosovo Veterinary Laboratory, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
³ Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17943 Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany.
⁴ Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK; Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, L69 7BE, UK.
⁵ Food and Veterinary Agency, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
⁶ Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK; School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health & Medical Sciences, University of Surrey Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7TE, UK.
⁷ Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-borne Diseases Research Group, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge, UK.
⁸ Control and/or Eradication of Animal Diseases, EuropeAid/132620/C/SER/XK, Pan Livestock Services Ltd, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo.
⁹ Control and/or Eradication of Animal Diseases, EuropeAid/132620/C/SER/XK, Pan Livestock Services Ltd, Industrial Zone, 10 000 Pristina, Kosovo; Support for the control and eradication of animal diseases, IPA Multibeneficiary Project Western Balkans, EuropeAid/129988/C/SER/MULTI, Opera S.c.a.r.l., 00197 Rome, Italy.
¹⁰ Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics Research Unit (VEERU) & PAN Livestock Services Ltd., University of Reading, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading RG6 6AR, UK.
¹¹ Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, 17943 Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany. Electronic address: thomas.mueller@fli.bund.de.

PMID: 25128371
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2014.07.009

Abstract

The European Union has used instrument for pre-accession (IPA) funds to provide technical assistance and supplies for the eradication, monitoring and control of rabies in several pre-accession countries. As a result, since 2010, multi-annual oral rabies vaccination (ORV) programmes for eliminating fox rabies have been launched in six Western Balkan countries. Here the implementation of the ORV programme in Kosovo, the smallest of the West Balkan countries, is described. Associated challenges under difficult political conditions, potential biases, and the results of rabies surveillance and monitoring of ORV campaigns (bait uptake and immunisation rates) since 2010 are reported.

Keywords: Fox; Kosovo; Oral rabies vaccination; Rabies; Rabies control; Western Balkans.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Administration, Oral
Animals
Foxes*
Kosovo
Rabies / prevention & control
Rabies / veterinary*
Rabies Vaccines / administration & dosage*
Rabies Vaccines / immunology*
Vaccination / methods
Vaccination / veterinary

Substances

Rabies Vaccines