The practice of creating buffer zones in anti-epizootic measures for rabies using the example of the border zone with Finland

One of the important tasks of veterinary medicine in the Russian Federation is the implementation of measures to prevent and eliminate infectious animal diseases[2]. Animal rabies is a zoonotic transboundary disease. It is characterized by natural focality, and wild carnivores, in particular the fox, are considered a reservoir of the rabies pathogen. Since the end of the twentieth century, oral rabies vaccines have been used to prevent rabies in Western Europe and the United States [1,3].This article presents the results of research work in 2003-2009. to create a buffer zone against animal rabies on the border with Finland by oral vaccination of wild carnivores in the Leningrad region, the Republic of Karelia. Live vaccines were used in the work: "FUCHSORAL" (Germany) and domestic ones - "SINRAB" (FGBU "ARRIAH, Vladimir) and its analogue - the vaccine "ORALRABIVAK" produced by OJSC "PZB" (Pokrov).In the Leningrad region and the Republic of Karelia in 2003, the FUCHSORAL vaccine (Germany) was used once, and in subsequent years, double annual vaccination was carried out with domestic vaccines. In Finland, people were constantly vaccinated with the oral rabies vaccine “FUCHSORAL” (Germany), from the “SAD B19” strain [4]We carried out annual 2-fold vaccination (in spring and autumn) of wild carnivores, in accordance with the instructions for use of vaccines, at air temperatures from +2 to +8 C in a zone 50-80 km wide from the border for 6 years. The number of blood serum samples containing a level of rabies virus-neutralizing antibodies sufficient to protect against rabies in the Republic of Karelia increased from 0% to 80%, and in the Leningrad region. from 0% to 70%.As a result of the implementation of planned work in the period 2003-2009. to prevent rabies among wild carnivores in the Leningrad region and the Republic of Karelia, epizootic freedom from rabies was achieved, satisfying the neighboring country.