Twenty sheep were divided into groups and inoculated by various routes with recombinant raccoon poxvirus expressing the CVS rabies virus glycoprotein (rRCNV-G) or with raccoon poxvirus (RCNV). The apparent innocuous pathologic responses to each virus coupled with development of high levels of rabies virus neutralizing antibodies in animals vaccinated with rRCNV-G intradermally or intramuscularly suggested that the recombinant is effective and that RCNV would be a suitable substrate for further development of sheep vaccines. Poor antibody response to rRCNV-G given orally implied that it would be relatively harmless if inadvertently ingested by sheep. Virus transmission between vaccinated and sentinel sheep was not observed or detected serologically.

No abstract