[Oral vaccination of foxes against rabies in free game areas--a field trial]

It is reported about a field trial of oral vaccination of foxes against rabies, started in some Bavarian districts. The planning stage, the preparation of baits and their distribution, and the subsequent investigations to evaluate the field trial are outlined. The vaccine will be produced by the Federal Research Institute for Animal Diseases at Tübingen. 110,000 vaccine baits were laid out in 4 vaccination campaigns within 2 years. In no instance vaccine virus could be reisolated from animals collected in the vaccination zone. About 50% of the foxes were successfully immunized.