[PyrNet-L] Re: HEALTH: Rabies Alert - Pennsylvania

[Quiltermg@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/27/00 9:54:22 PM Central Daylight Time, 
pyrnet-l-owner@pyrnet.org writes:

    Hi all,
     I am forwarding this from another of my lists -- since there are so many 
 of you from the northeast USA I thought you needed to see this
 Pam >>
Here in Texas, the major rabies reservoir is the coyote.  In order to combat 
the incidence of rabies among coyotes and wild dogs in south Texas, they 
developed first an oral rabies vaccine, then a means of distributing it to 
the target population.  The oral vaccine was found to be effective in the 
prevention of rabies and to have a low incidence of causing rabies in 
inoculated animals.  The distribution was a special plastic encased sausage 
(kind of like a "Slim Jim") that the animals found tasty.  These were dropped 
from aircraft in targeted areas.

  I found it very interesting to first read about the vaccine in Scientific 
American about 4-5 years back, then about a year later see it discussed in a 
newsletter on infectious disease control procedures here in Texas.  We got to 
watch the entire procedure from inception to analysis of results.

Maybe those of you in the Northeast should be contacting your health 
officials about getting those special Slim Jims in your area.  They would 
probably prove as appetizing to your skunks and foxes as they are to the 
Texas coyotes.

Jack and Belle of the Amarillo Mts.
Marci and Montana Bear