The rabies peripheral challenge test: more accurate determination of vaccine potency.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) rabies vaccine potency test is used internationally for evaluating the efficacy of inactivated rabies vaccines, despite concerns about its methods. An alternative test has been developed, using a simplified in vivo method for rabies vaccine testing which has several advantages over the currently recommended method of efficacy testing. The rabies peripheral challenge test more closely models practical vaccine application in target species; decreases the observed effect of vaccine virus strain in testing results and allows sensitive analysis of vaccine and production lot testing.

Effect of heterogeneity of rabies virus strain and challenge route on efficacy of inactivated rabies vaccines in mice.

Objective: To determine effect of route of challenge and strain of rabies virus on efficacy of inactivated rabies vaccines in mice.

Animals: 3,056 mice.

Procedure: Challenge was performed with fixed and street rabies virus strains by use of footpad and intracerebral routes as well as IM injection into the hip, shoulder, neck, and masseter muscles.

Effects of vaccine route and dosage on protection from rabies after intracerebral challenge in mice.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of various routes of administration and number of doses of 3 commercially produced rabies vaccines on serum antibody responses and protection in mice challenged by intracerebral injection with fixed-strain rabies virus.

Animals: 2,213 mice.

Procedure: Inactivated, adjuvanted rabies vaccines were administered to mice in either 2, 1, or 0 (control) doses via IP, IM, and SC routes, and mice were challenged intracerebrally with fixed-strain rabies virus.