Terrestrial Rabies Surveillance on Cape Cod: A Community-Based Multi-Agency Strategy to Provide Critical Information for Rabies Control

Bjorklund, Brian M.; Algeo, Timothy P.; Chandler, Monte D.; Wilda, Donald J.; Slate, Dennis

doi:10.5070/v422110131

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…In addition to the goal of rabies elimination for Cape Cod, the CCORVP presented an unparalleled opportunity for research into rabies epizootiology, vector ecology, and control strategies. Some of these projects to date have included a) an assessment of potential raccoon activity and abundance in pitch pine/scrub oak habitat through density surveys, track station visitation (Algeo et al 2004) and automatic camera-based indexing efforts; b) estimates of relative raccoon densities in highly developed coastal communities; c) an assessment of the utility of bait stations for ORV bait distribution to raccoons in highly developed areas; d) an investigation into the relative importance of competing raccoon food items during ORV baiting campaigns (Bjorklund et al 2008); e) tests of the relative performance of different bait formats in terms of vehicle-based distribution characteristics; and f) enhanced rabies surveillance results, and strategy development and refinement (Bjorklund et al 2006).…”

Section: Cape Cod-based Research In Support Of Rabies Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy of the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program

Algeo¹,

Chipman²,

Bjorklund³

et al. 2008

vertebrate_pest_conference

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Rabies remains a globally significant zoonotic disease, but rabies control is achievable under certain circumstances.Canine rabies has been eliminated from the U.S.; however, approximately 55,000 humans die annually worldwide from the disease. In the U.S., economic losses continue to be substantial and the risk to humans and domestic animals has not been eliminated. As an example of the complexity of rabies management, we describe a local rabies control program and efforts to restore Cape Cod, MA to terrestrial rabies-free status, after a 2004 oral rabies vaccination (ORV) barrier breach following 10 years of rabies-free status. The emergence of raccoon rabies in southeastern New England in 1992 prompted the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to begin an ORV program to reduce the occurrence of carnivore rabies in an area directly adjacent to the Cape Cod Canal. In 2001, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services began full-time collaboration on the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (CCORVP) as part of national wildlife rabies control efforts. The primary objective of the CCORVP was to use ORV in tandem with the physical barrier created by the Canal to prevent the spread of rabies to peninsular Cape Cod, a heavily-populated tourist destination southeast of Boston. After an increase in rabies cases within the traditional Cape Cod ORV zone, ORV bait distribution efforts were modified to reduce the risk of rabies spread onto the Cape. In spite of these modifications, raccoon rabies was detected for the first time on peninsular Cape Cod in March 2004. A trap-vaccinate-release campaign, removal of suspect raccoons and skunks, and expanded ORV efforts were unsuccessful in preventing the spread of the virus. Rabies surveillance became the priority of the Cape Cod Rabies Task Force. In 2006, rabies was finally detected at the eastern extremity of the peninsula. In this paper, we summarize ORV efforts, explore possible causes for the spread of raccoon rabies onto the Cape, summarize several small-scale Cape Cod rabies research projects, and suggest a 5-year plan for future Cape Cod rabies controls efforts.

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Section: Cape Cod-based Research In Support Of Rabies Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy of the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program

Algeo¹,

Chipman²,

Bjorklund³

et al. 2008

vertebrate_pest_conference

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“…Raccoon stomachs were collected concurrent with CCORV enhanced rabies surveillance efforts (Bjorklund et al 2006), during every month in Barnstable and Plymouth Counties during 2006 -2007 ( Figure 2). Samples were obtained as road-kills, public health investigation specimens, sick/strange-acting specimens, and from nuisance mitigation activities.…”

Section: Specimen Acquisitionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Food Item Distractions during Raccoon ORV Baiting Campaigns on Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Would You Like Fries With That?

Bjorklund¹,

Thomas²,

Palmiotto³

et al. 2008

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USDA APHIS Wildlife Services has been a primary cooperator in the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program (CCORVP) in southeastern Massachusetts since 2001. The CCORVP (1994 -present) was originally designed to reduce the incidence of terrestrial rabies adjacent to the Cape Cod Canal in order to prevent its spread on to peninsular Cape Cod. However, since the barrier breach in 2004, CCORVP is now focused on rabies control in this coastal resort area southeast of Boston, MA. An integral component of wildlife rabies management is oral vaccination with vaccine-laden baits. Consequently, maximizing bait uptake rates is critical to achieving sufficient population immunity to reduce rabies prevalence and achieve control. To that end, knowledge of raccoon food habits, especially at ORV bait delivery times (spring and fall on Cape Cod) is crucial. We undertook a study of raccoon food selection in southeastern Massachusetts to assess the presence of and interest in competing food resources. We collected intact stomachs from raccoons found dead or euthanized for rabies testing within the CCORVP zone during 2006 (n = 33) and 2007 (n = 109) for analysis. Stomach contents were dominated by vegetation (80%), followed by invertebrates (43%), non-food items (41%), vertebrates (35%), and hair (primarily raccoon based on appearance) (15%). Food item occurrence appears to be related to age. We present findings, potential management implications, and suggestions for assessing food use related to rabies control in other locations.

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“…A WS trap-vaccinate-release campaign plus expanded ORV efforts did not prevent the further spread of raccoon rabies. Rabies surveillance on Cape Cod became a high priority [ 10 , 11 ], with the aim of delineating the epizootic front to begin ORV and define priority areas for trap-vaccinate-release efforts to prevent further spread. However, in 2006, raccoon rabies was detected at the farthest tip of Cape Cod, in Provincetown.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progress towards Bait Station Integration into Oral Rabies Vaccination Programs in the United States: Field Trials in Massachusetts and Florida

et al. 2017

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Bait stations for distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits are designed for rabies management in highly-developed areas where traditional distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits may be difficult. As part of national efforts to contain and eliminate the raccoon (Procyon lotor) variant of the rabies virus (raccoon rabies) in the eastern United States, the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services program, distributed vaccine baits by bait stations experimentally and operationally in Massachusetts during 2006-present, and in Florida during 2009–2015. In Massachusetts, a rabies virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) response of 42.1% for raccoons captured in areas baited with high density bait stations during 2011–2015 was achieved, compared with 46.2% in areas baited by hand, suggesting the continuation of this as a strategy for the oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program there, and for similar locations. Non-target competition for vaccine baits is problematic, regardless of distribution method. In Massachusetts, bait station visitation rates for targeted raccoons and non-target opossums (Didelphis virginiana) were similar (1.18:1) during 2006–2009 (p > 0.05). Bait station modifications for reducing non-target uptake were tested, and in Massachusetts, reduced non-target bait access was achieved with two design alternatives (p < 0.001). However, no difference was noted between the control and these two alternative designs in Florida. Due to ongoing trials of new vaccines and baits, the bait station performance of an adenovirus rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine bait, ONRAB® bait (Artemis Technologies, Guelph, ON, Canada) and a vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine bait, RABORAL V-RG®bait (Merial Limited, Athens, GA, USA), was compared. While uptake of the ONRAB bait was greater in Massachusetts (p < 0.001) in this limited trial, both types performed equally well in Florida. Since bait station tampering or theft as well as potential human bait contacts has been problematic, performance of camouflaged versus unpainted white bait stations was analyzed in terms of internal temperatures and maintaining a stable bait storage environment. In Massachusetts, camouflaged bait station interiors did not reach higher average temperatures than plain white bait stations in partially- or fully-shaded locations, while in Florida, camouflaged bait stations were significantly warmer in light exposure categories (p < 0.05). As ORV operations expand into more heavily-urbanized areas, bait stations will be increasingly important for vaccine bait distribution, and continued refinements in the strategy will be key to that success.

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Terrestrial Rabies Surveillance on Cape Cod: A Community-Based Multi-Agency Strategy to Provide Critical Information for Rabies Control

Cited by 3 publications

References 7 publications

Anatomy of the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program

Anatomy of the Cape Cod Oral Rabies Vaccination Program

Potential Food Item Distractions during Raccoon ORV Baiting Campaigns on Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Would You Like Fries With That?

Progress towards Bait Station Integration into Oral Rabies Vaccination Programs in the United States: Field Trials in Massachusetts and Florida

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