Oral vaccines provide an alternative for animals that are difficult to vaccinate conventionally
REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KARANGASEM — In order to strengthen the capacity of rabies control in Indonesia, the Ministry of Agriculture (Kementan) through the Directorate General of Livestock and Animal Health (Ditjen PKH) has started a series of trials on the use of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) in Indonesia. This was conveyed by the Director of Animal Health, Directorate General of PKH, Nuryani Zainuddin, Thursday (25/11).
According to him, the use of ORV to support rabies control programs has been successfully implemented in several countries, and Indonesia will for the first time try its use at the field level in Buleleng and Karangasem regencies, Bali. “For the initial stage, we will first test the appropriate type of bait in Indonesia, after that we will try the oral rabies vaccine,” added Nuryani.
He explained that currently there are eight provinces that are declared free of rabies, while other provinces are still classified as infected areas. For these infected areas, the main strategy for controlling them is by implementing mass rabies vaccinations with a target of 70 percent of the population of rabid animals, especially dogs.
“The challenge in mass vaccination is to vaccinate dogs that are stray and difficult to catch and vaccinate parenterally or by injection,” he added.
Nuryani believes that vaksin oral rabies provide an alternative for dogs that are difficult to vaccinate with conventional methods, and it can increase rabies vaccination coverage by more than 70 percent on target.
“What should be noted is that oral vaccination is not a substitute for injectable vaccines, but it is a complement to increase vaccination coverage, especially dogs that are difficult to hold or catch,” he added.
The implementation of this bait trial, explained Nuryani, is to use a bait that does not contain a vaccine, but in the form of a placebo containing a blue liquid and given directly to the target dog to assess the dog’s level of preference for the available bait options.
“The process of rupture of the placebo in the oral cavity and then absorbed in the oral mucosa of dogs, will resemble the outbreak of the oral rabies vaccine which will be tested later,” he explained.
Nuryani also expressed her appreciation to the Australian Government through the Australia Indonesia Partnership Program for Health Security (AIHSP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as well as the Bali Provincial Agriculture and Food Security Service, the Buleleng and Karangasem District Agriculture Offices who have supported the trial to be carried out. the.
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