Fig 1.
Photos of the RABORAL V-RG oral rabies vaccine product.
The Texas Oral Rabies Vaccination Program has used RABORAL V-RG to vaccinate wildlife since 1995 [19]. From 1995 through 2013, the fishmeal polymer block bait (top) was distributed for coyotes and a chicken-based dog food block bait was distributed for gray foxes. Beginning in 2014, the coated sachet format with fishmeal coating (bottom) became the choice for both coyotes and foxes. The liquid vaccine dose is contained within a heat-sealed plastic sachet with labeling including a toll-free number for reporting purposes.
Fig 2.
Texas Oral Rabies Vaccination Program Baiting Zones (1995 – 2008).
The coyote rabies elimination program began in 1995 in south Texas as a wedge-shaped zone (red areas on map) to prevent northern spread of the canine rabies variant circulating in coyotes (DDC-RV). The DDC-RV zone enlarged in size from 1995-1998 and due to successful reduction in reported cases the zone was reduced in size annually to a become a barrier zone by 2008. The Texas Gray Fox rabies variant (TF-RV) elimination program (blue areas on map) began in 1996 and continued until 2013. The TF-RV zone initially encircled the affected area, except in 2000 and 2001 when reduced funding limited the bait zones to only the eastern barrier. The TF-RV program continued until 2013 (see Fig 3). Map base layer: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefile (Public Domain). https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/cartographic-boundary.html.
Fig 3.
Texas Oral Rabies Vaccination Program Baiting Zones (2009-2015).
The bait distribution zones continued to change location over time during the coyote rabies elimination phase (2009-2012). Following elimination of the DDC-RV the coyotes program became the Border Maintenance Zone in 2013. Gray fox bait distribution and contingency actions continued with the last TF-RV reported case in a rabid cow in 2013. This map also includes experimental skunk studies (2014-2016). Map base layer: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefile (Public Domain). https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/cartographic-boundary.html.
Fig 4.
Texas Oral Rabies Vaccine Program bait distribution maps from 2017 through 2023.
Following the elimination of the canine rabies variant circulating in coyotes and the Texas gray fox variant, the Texas ORVP continues as a Border Maintenance Zone (BMZ) in southwest Texas along the US/Mexico border (blue areas on map). Map base layer: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefile (Public Domain). https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/cartographic-boundary.html.