Humoral immune response of dogs to the inactivated suckling mouse brain vaccine utilized in anti-rabies campaigns in Brazil

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: An anti-rabies campaign is undertaken annually in Brazil with of the Fuenzalida & Palacios vaccine. The humoral immune response of dogs vaccinated during the campaigns was researched with the objective of evaluating whether the dogs presented a protective titer (0.5 UI/ml) 12 months after vaccination and how many of these achieved this titer 30 days after a buttressing vaccination. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Three hundred and forty-one specimens of serum of dogs domicilied, 259 in the S. Paulo and 82 in the Paulinia counties, were analyzed utilizing the Rapid Fluorescence Focus Inhibition Test. The immune response was evaluated taking into consideration the nutritional state of the animal and the number of previous vaccinations. RESULTS: The larger number of the dogs had not achieved the 0.5 UI/ml titer after 12 months, independently of the nutritional state and the response to the buttressing vaccination was more apparent in dogs with two or more previous vaccinations. DISCUSSION: The cut off of 0.5 Ul/ml as protective titer in dogs and the influence of the nutritional state and health conditions of the animals as responsible for humoral immune response are discussed.