ORAL VACCINE: AS A MEANS OF PREVENTING RABIES IN WILDLIFE

Rabies is a zoonotic infection of viral etiology that poses a danger to the health of both animals and humans. The disease is widespread everywhere, with the exception of some European countries, island states, Australia and Antarctica, which have managed to eliminate rabies in their territories. The causative agent of the infection is a representative of the family Rhabdoviridae, affecting all living organisms including vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and fish. A particular danger to humans is the genus Lyssavirus, which in most reported cases enters the body through contact of damaged skin with the saliva of an infected animal. The incubation time depends on the distance of the infection site to the brain. Affecting the nervous system and reaching the brain, the rabies virus leads to paralysis followed by imminent death. The main reservoirs for the virus are wild animals, in particular carnivores, as well as bats. One of the most effective ways to prevent transmission of the virus is to monitor and carry out preventive measures, including vaccination. The purpose of this review article is to show by global experience how oral vaccines have contributed to a significant reduction in the spread of rabies among wild carnivorous animals, which ultimately influenced the dynamics of morbidity among domestic animals and humans.