Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research logoLink to Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research
. 1989 Oct;53(4):438–444.

Safety and immunogenicity of ERA strain of rabies virus propagated in a BHK-21 cell line.

K F Lawson 1, R Hertler 1, K M Charlton 1, J B Campbell 1, A J Rhodes 1
PMCID: PMC1255573  PMID: 2686831

Abstract

The ERA strain of rabies virus was propagated in a baby hamster kidney cell line (BHK-21/C13). The viral titer was 10(1.8) tissue culture infective doses (TCID) higher than that of commercial ERA vaccine. The ERA/BHK-21 vaccine in baits retained titers of 10(6.3) to 10(6.4), TCID when subjected to daily temperature fluctuations from 9 degrees C to 24 degrees C for 21 days. This titer, according to a dose response in laboratory foxes, was still capable of immunizing up to 100% of foxes consuming a bait. The ERA/BHK-21 vaccine, when presented in baits, produced antibodies in 80 to 100% of dogs consuming more than one bait. Duration of immunity in foxes, from feeding the ERA strain rabies virus in baits, as determined by resistance to challenge with virulent virus, was at least 48 months. The vaccine strain retained some pathogenicity for nontarget species. In tests carried out on foxes, raccoons, dogs, cats and cattle, the vaccine did not cause vaccine-induced rabies. One of 14 skunks which consumed four baits developed vaccine-induced rabies, but virus could not be isolated from the salivary glands of this animal. The vaccine, when presented in baits, caused vaccine-induced rabies in 37% of laboratory mice, 3.4% of Microtus and 2.6% of Peromyscus species. Rabies virus could not be isolated from the salivary glands of rodents with vaccine-induced rabies. It was concluded that ERA virus propagated in BHK-21/C13 cells and incorporated in an acceptable bait produced a high titer, stable, immunogenic and safe vaccine for foxes.

Full text

PDF
438

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abelseth M. K. An Attenuated Rabies Vaccine for Domestic Animals Produced in Tissue Culture. Can Vet J. 1964 Nov;5(11):279–286. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Abreo C. B. A rapid quantitative microtest for live, attenuated rabies vaccine. J Biol Stand. 1985 Jul;13(3):255–260. doi: 10.1016/s0092-1157(85)80009-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Baer G. M., Abelseth M. K., Debbie J. G. Oral vaccination of foxes against rabies. Am J Epidemiol. 1971 Jun;93(6):487–490. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121283. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Black J. G., Lawson K. F. Further studies of sylvatic rabies in the fox (Vulpes vulpes). Vaccination by the oral route. Can Vet J. 1973 Sep;14(9):206–211. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Black J. G., Lawson K. F. Sylvatic rabies studies in the silver fox (Vulpes vulpes). Susceptibility and immune response. Can J Comp Med. 1970 Oct;34(4):309–311. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Black J. G., Lawson K. F. The safety and efficacy of immunizing foxes (Vulpes vulpes) using bait containing attenuated rabies virus vaccine. Can J Comp Med. 1980 Apr;44(2):169–176. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Charlton K. M., Webster W. A., Casey G. A., Rhodes A. J., Macinnes C. D., Lawson K. F. Recent advances in rabies diagnosis and research. Can Vet J. 1986 Feb;27(2):85–89. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. DULBECCO R., VOGT M. Plaque formation and isolation of pure lines with poliomyelitis viruses. J Exp Med. 1954 Feb;99(2):167–182. doi: 10.1084/jem.99.2.167. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Debbie J. G., Abelseth M. K., Baer G. M. The use of commercially available vaccines for the oral vaccination of foxes against rabies. Am J Epidemiol. 1972 Sep;96(3):231–235. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a121453. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ingram D. G., Cho H. J. Aleutian disease in mink: virology, immunology and pathogenesis. J Rheumatol. 1974 Mar;1(1):74–92. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Johnston D. H., Voigt D. R. A baiting system for the oral rabies vaccination of wild foxes and skunks. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 1982;5(1-3):185–186. doi: 10.1016/0147-9571(82)90035-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Koprowski H. Laboratory techniques in rabies: the mouse inoculation test. Monogr Ser World Health Organ. 1973;(23):85–93. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lawson K. F., Black J. G., Charlton K. M., Johnston D. H., Rhodes A. J. Safety and immunogenicity of a vaccine bait containing ERA strain of attenuated rabies virus. Can J Vet Res. 1987 Oct;51(4):460–464. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Mayr A., Kraft H., Jaeger O., Haacke H. Orale Immunisierung von Füchsen gegen Tollwut. Zentralbl Veterinarmed B. 1972 Sep;19(8):615–625. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Nicholson K. G., Bauer S. P. Enteric inoculation with ERA rabies virus: evaluation of a candidate wildlife vaccine in laboratory rodents. Arch Virol. 1981;67(1):51–56. doi: 10.1007/BF01314601. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Porter D. D., Larsen A. E., Porter H. G. Aleutian disease of mink. Adv Immunol. 1980;29:261–286. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2776(08)60046-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Steck F., Wandeler A., Bichsel P., Capt S., Häfliger U., Schneider L. Oral immunization of foxes against rabies. Laboratory and field studies. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 1982;5(1-3):165–171. doi: 10.1016/0147-9571(82)90031-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Tolson N. D., Charlton K. M., Lawson K. F., Campbell J. B., Stewart R. B. Studies of ERA/BHK-21 rabies vaccine in skunks and mice. Can J Vet Res. 1988 Jan;52(1):58–62. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wachendörfer G., Farrenkopf R., Lohrbach W., Förster U., Frost J. W., Valder W. A. Passageversuche mit einer Varianten des Tollwut-Impfstammes ERA bei wildlebenden Spezies (Ondatra zibethica und Rattus norvegicus) - Ein Beitrag zur oralen Immunisierung von Füchsen gegen Tollwut). Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1978 Jul 5;85(7):279–285. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Winkler W. G., McLean R. G., Cowart J. C. Vaccination of foxes against rabies using ingested baits. J Wildl Dis. 1975 Jul;11(3):382–388. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-11.3.382. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Winkler W. G., Shaddock J. H., Williams L. W. Oral rabies vaccine: evaluation of its infectivity in three species of rodents. Am J Epidemiol. 1976 Sep;104(3):294–298. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Zalan E., Wilson C., Pukitis D. A microtest for the quantitation of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies. J Biol Stand. 1979 Jul;7(3):213–220. doi: 10.1016/s0092-1157(79)80024-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research are provided here courtesy of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

RESOURCES