[Rabies in dogs and efficacy of active immunoprophylaxis in Yugoslavia]

In this study we analyzed 36 cases of dog rabies diagnosed at the Pasteur Institute in Novi Sad during the last 10 years as well as the quality of postvaccination immunity. Most dogs had the paralytic form, more common in sylvatic rabies than furious clinical picture. 11% of dogs were aggressive, whereas 44% had injured humans, including their owners. Postvaccination immunity was examined in a group of dogs vaccinated with three domestic and one vaccine imported from abroad. Vaccination was successful in more than 70% of dogs and it is a sufficient percentage of seroconversion in dog rabies eradication. However, in dogs vaccinated only once during lifetime, the immunity was not satisfactory. That is why in primary vaccination of dogs compulsory revaccination 30 days after the first vaccine dose is suggested.