[Epidemiology and campaign against rabies in France and in Europe]

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the reservoir and vector of rabies in Western Europe. Field trials to vaccinate it with vaccine-baits dispatched in the fields were carried out in Switzerland since 1985. When repeated twice a year in Spring and Autumn, for at least two years successively, this method was proven to be more efficacious to eliminate rabies than the destruction of fox population by shooting or gassing. Since 1986, the same technique was used and adapted in France with baits carrying various vaccines. By establishing an immunological barrier from the English channel to the national border with Switzerland more than 630 km long and 35 to 80 km wide, the advance of the disease towards south was stopped. During the following years, the vaccination plan has been extended to cover the whole contaminated area in France (at most: 141,700 km2). From 1989 to 1994, the rabies incidence has been decreased by 98%. Elimination of rabies in France is now depending on the treatment of the disease in the neighbouring countries. At least, 13 other European countries are vaccinating foxes against rabies. Currently over 14 million vaccine baits are dropped annually from aeroplanes or distributed by hunters. As a result of oral immunisation there has been a sharp decrease in the number of rabies cases in animals in Western Europe. A complete elimination of rabies has been achieved over large areas, where vaccination is no longer needed. Summing up the results of oral vaccination programs carried out in Europe, it appears that reinfections have occurred due to various causes: budgetary restrictions limiting either the number of campaigns or the size of the possible vaccination zones and also cross-border contamination. Today the clearing of the western European peninsula from to east appears technically possible but the increase of fox population, and the cost of these operations are new challenge to tackled.