EVALUATION OF BAITS FOR DELIVERY OF ORAL RABIES VACCINE TO DOGS IN GUATEMALA

Acceptance of oral baits by dogs was evaluated in Guatemala. Eight bait matrix/attractant combinations were produced using commercial materials available in the United States. Two baits were produced using local materials in Guatemala. All baits included a plastic sachet that contained a placebo vaccine (water). Bait trials were conducted February-April, 2002, at five sites using 261 dogs. Bait acceptance ranged from 50.0% to 87.1%, and the combined proportion of sachets either swallowed or punctured ranged from 23.1% to 83.9%. The four bait types with the highest acceptance by dogs were the wax-coated sachet coated with poultry oil and poultry meal (87.1%), the dog meal polymer coated with poultry oil and poultry meal (82.8%), the fish meal polymer coated with poultry oil and poultry meal (77.4%), and the chicken head bait (77.8%). These four bait types were accepted most often as determined both by consumption and combined proportion of sachets swallowed or punctured (P = 0.0001). Future trials should demonstrate efficacy of oral rabies vaccination in Guatemala based on the use of selected bait matrices and the poultry oil/poultry meal attractant.