Tactics and economics of wildlife oral rabies vaccination, Canada and the United States.

Progressive elimination of rabies in wildlife has been a general strategy in Canada and the United States; common campaign tactics are trap-vaccinate-release (TVR), point infection control (PIC), and oral rabies vaccination (ORV). TVR and PIC are labor intensive and the most expensive tactics per unit area (approximately $616/km(2) [in 2008 Can$, converted from the reported $450/km(2) in 1991 Can$] and approximately $612/km(2) [$500/km(2) in 1999 Can$], respectively), but these tactics have proven crucial to elimination of raccoon rabies in Canada and to maintenance of ORV zones for preventing the spread of raccoon rabies in the United States. Economic assessments have shown that during rabies epizootics, costs of human postexposure prophylaxis, pet vaccination, public health, and animal control spike.

Benefit cost scenarios of potential oral rabies vaccination for skunks in California.

Scenario-based analyses were computed for benefits and costs linked with hypothetical oral rabies vaccination (ORV) campaigns to contain or eliminate skunk-variant rabies in skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in California, USA. Scenario 1 assumed baiting eight zones (43,388 km(2) total) that comprised 73% of known skunk rabies locations in the state. Scenario 2 also assumed baiting these eight zones, but further assumed that added benefits would result from preventing the spread of skunk-variant rabies into Los Angeles County, USA.

Economic evaluation of an oral rabies vaccination program for control of a domestic dog-coyote rabies epizootic: 1995-2006.

Objective: To conduct a benefit-cost analysis of the results of the domestic dog and coyote (DDC) oral rabies vaccine (ORV) program in Texas from 1995 through 2006 by use of fiscal records and relevant public health data.

Design: Retrospective benefit-cost analysis. Procedures-Pertinent economic data were collected in 20 counties of south Texas affected by a DDC-variant rabies epizootic.

Skunk rabies in California (1992-2003)--implications for oral rabies vaccination.

Skunk-variant rabies is endemic in California (United States), and the development of oral vaccines and baits to vaccinate skunks is in progress. In 2003, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) began to quantify the impacts of skunk-variant rabies and to assess the feasibility of using oral rabies vaccination (ORV) as a containment measure. The CDPH rabies case data for skunks were spatially depicted and analyzed using a geographic information system.

Direct and indirect costs of rabies exposure: a retrospective study in southern California (1998-2002).

The direct and indirect costs of suspected human rabies exposure were estimated for San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, California, USA. Clinic, hospital, and county public health records (1998-2002) were examined to determine direct costs for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), and 55 (41%) former patients were contacted to voluntarily provide estimates of their indirect costs associated with receiving PEP. Additional costs due to public health and animal control personnel responses to rabid animals were collected, including diagnostic testing and wages.

Capsicum oleoresin: development of an in-soil repellent for pocket gophers.

A pre- and post-monitoring study was conducted of the potential use of capsicum oleoresin as an in-soil repellent for northern pocket gophers (Thomomys talpoides). Pocket gophers were captured in irrigated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L), affixed with radio transmitters, and monitored daily for location. Six plots (4.

An index technique to monitor broadcast calibration and bait pick up, plus rodent and avian sign under arid conditions.

As part of product-performance and wildlife-hazards studies of 2% zinc phosphide (Zn3P2) steam-rolled-oat baits (11.2 kg ha-1) to reduce vole populations (Microtus spp) in alfalfa (Medicago sativa), we used randomly located, brushed-dirt plots (eight approximately 930-cm2 plots per 0.2-ha enclosure) to monitor bait-broadcast and -removal patterns, as well as to index vole and avian sign.