In developing countries, the cost of vaccination limits the use of prophylactic rabies vaccination, especially in cattle. Intradermal vaccination delivers antigen directly to an area with higher number of antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, it could produce equivalent or higher antibody titres than conventional intramuscular vaccination even when a lower dose is given.
Abstract 11In developing countries, the cost of vaccination limits the use of prophylactic rabies 12 vaccination, especially in cattle. Intradermal vaccination delivers antigen directly to an area 13 with higher number of antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, it could produce equivalent or 14 higher antibody titres than conventional intramuscular vaccination even when a lower dose is 15 given.
16This study aimed to compare the antibody response in cattle vaccinated intramuscularly with 17 1mL of inactivated rabies vaccine (Raksharab, Indian Immunologicals) against intradermally 18 vaccinated cattle with 0.2mL of the same vaccine. The study was conducted in Haa province 19 of Bhutan where rabies is not endemic. One hundred cattle from 27 farms were selected for 20 the study. Virus neutralising antibody (VNA) response was measured using the fluorescent 21 antibody virus neutralisation test on the day of vaccination (day 0) and 14, 30, 60 and 90 days 22 later.
23Overall, 71% of intradermally vaccinated cattle and 89% of the intramuscularly vaccinated 24 cattle produced a protective response (≥0.5IU/mL). This difference was significant (P<0.02) 25 on days 14 and 30 post vaccination with 36 and 58% in the intradermal group having titres 2 26 ≥0.5 IU/mL respectively compared to the equivalent figures of 78 and 77% in the 27 intramuscular group. The mean VNA titres were lower for intradermal group than 28 intramuscular group (p<0.001) with the mean difference being greater than 0.6 IU/mL.
29Although low dose intradermal vaccination did produce a detectable antibody response, it 30 was inferior to intramuscular vaccination. Thus, although intradermal vaccination has the 31 potential to reduce the cost of vaccination by reducing the dose required, this study showed 32 that a single dose of 0.2mL intradermally was inferior to an intramuscular dose of 1mL.
33Further research evaluating dose and dose regimen is needed before intradermal vaccination 34 using the Raksharab rabies vaccine can be recommended in cattle. 48 for every 2.5 cattle) of which 40% are stray dogs, and 31% owned but free roaming (12).
49Mass vaccination against rabies and sterilization of dogs have been carried out throughout the 50 country on an annual basis to reduce the risk of rabies. However, preventive control measures 51 in cattle, especially vaccination, have been a lower priority, because the risks of virus 52 transmission through cattle are low (13). Nevertheless, in endemic areas of Bhutan, rabies 53 remains common in cattle and causes considerable economic losses to smallholder cattle 54 farmers. Until rabies is eliminated in the reservoir hosts (principally dogs), free movement...