Presence of antibodies against rabies in wild boars

Serum samples of 746 shot wild boars collected throughout Slovenia during the hunting season of 2005/2006 were examined for the presence of antibodies against rabies virus: 541 samples were collected in areas subjected to yearly antirabies vaccination, and 205 samples were collected in areas where preventive antirabies vaccination was not practised. Using a modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), in 209 out of 746 sera (28%) the levels of antibodies against rabies virus were higher than 0.5 IU/ml and deemed positive. A total of 173/541 (32%) and 36/205 (18%) samples were positive in the vaccinated and nonvaccinated areas, respectively. Further analysis of 191 out of the 746 samples using the fluorescent antibody virus neutralisation (FAVN) test revealed the presence of antibodies against rabies virus in 122/191 (64%) samples. This is the first extended research reporting that antibodies against rabies virus that originate from preventive oral vaccination targeting the fox population are present in wild boar.