An update on safety studies of SAD B19 rabies virus vaccine in target and non-target species

SAD B19 is an attenuated vaccine virus for oral vaccination of carnivores against rabies. The safety of SAD B19 was investigated in 16 animal species by different routes of administration. During the observation period all animals given the vaccine virus, irrespective of the route of administration, did not show any clinical signs of rabies, with the exception of certain rodent species. In these animals a low residual pathogenicity was observed, however transmission of the vaccine virus to control animals was not demonstrable. No vaccine virus could be detected in the saliva of the six mammal species examined. Furthermore, the genetical stability was shown for SAD B19 through passaging in neural tissue of dogs, foxes and mice. From the results presented here on innocuity and stability, it can be concluded that SAD B19 rabies vaccine is suitable for oral vaccination campaigns for carnivores against rabies.