Responses of juvenile black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) to a commercially produced oral plague vaccine delivered at two doses

Journal of Wildlife Diseases
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Abstract

We confirmed safety and immunogenicity of mass-produced vaccine baits carrying an experimental, commercial-source plague vaccine (RCN-F1/V307) expressing Yersinia pestis V and F1 antigens. Forty-five juvenile black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) were randomly divided into three treatment groups (n=15 animals/group). Animals in the first group received one standard-dose vaccine bait (5×107 plaque-forming units [pfu]; STD). The second group received a lower-dose bait (1×107 pfu; LOW). In the third group, five animals received two standard-dose baits and 10 were left untreated but in contact. Two vaccine-treated and one untreated prairie dogs died during the study, but laboratory analyses ruled out vaccine involvement. Overall, 17 of 33 (52%; 95% confidence interval for binomial proportion [bCI] 34−69%) prairie dogs receiving vaccine-laden bait showed a positive anti-V antibody response on at least one sampling occasion after bait consumption, and eight (24%; bCI 11–42%) showed sustained antibody responses. The STD and LOW groups did not differ (P≥0.78) in their proportions of overall or sustained antibody responses after vaccine bait consumption. Serum from one of the nine (11%; bCI 0.3–48%) surviving untreated, in-contact prairie dogs also had detectable antibody on one sampling occasion. We did not observe any adverse effects related to oral vaccination.

Suggested Citation

Cardenas-Canales, E.M., Wolfe, L.L., W., T.D., Rocke, T.E., Abbott, R.C., Miller, M.W., 2017, Responses of juvenile black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) to a commercially produced oral plague vaccine delivered at two doses: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, v. 53, no. 4, p. 916-920, https://doi.org/10.7589/2017-02-033.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Responses of juvenile black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) to a commercially produced oral plague vaccine delivered at two doses
Series title Journal of Wildlife Diseases
DOI 10.7589/2017-02-033
Volume 53
Issue 4
Year Published 2017
Language English
Publisher Wildlife Disease Association
Contributing office(s) National Wildlife Health Center
Description 5 p.
First page 916
Last page 920
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