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Home / Equine Research Bank / Pathogens / Persistence of Anti-Rabies Antibody Response in Horses Follo...
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)2024; 13(2); doi: 10.3390/pathogens13020125

Persistence of Anti-Rabies Antibody Response in Horses Following Vaccination.

Abstract: Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease affecting all mammalian species. It is caused by the rabies virus and is prevalent worldwide. Horses are not commonly infected with rabies but their vaccination is recommended due to the potential zoonotic risk. This study aimed to evaluate the duration of immunity following rabies vaccination in horses. A total of 126 serum samples were collected from 93 horses, vaccinated 6 to 91 months before sampling. Rabies-virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) levels were evaluated using the Rabies Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test (RFFIT). A protective RVNA titer of above 0.5 IU/mL was found in 112 (88.9%) of the samples and 84 (90.3%) of the horses. Antibody titers declined over time (rho = -0.271, p = 0.002); however, there was no significant difference in antibody titers or the prevalence of unprotected horses between the time intervals following vaccination. Purebred horses had lower antibody titers (p = 0.024). The response to booster vaccination was inspected in ten horses, and increased antibody titers were found in eight of them. The results of this study demonstrate the prolonged persistence of protective immunity in horses following rabies vaccination, in some cases, for up to eight years. Therefore, the current annual vaccination strategy should be re-evaluated. A rate of 9.7% of poor responders should be considered from an epidemiological perspective in order to minimize the risk of emergence of the disease.
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Publication Date: 2024-01-28 PubMed ID: 38392863PubMed Central: PMC10893006DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13020125Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study evaluates the duration of immunity in horses following rabies vaccination, finding that protective immunity lasts for up to eight years. The results question the necessity of annual vaccination strategies, while also highlighting that a minority of horses do not respond adequately to the vaccination.

Study Design and Sample Collection

  • The study examined 126 serum samples, drawn from 93 horses, each of which had been vaccinated against rabies at some point between 6 and 91 months prior to sampling.
  • This allowed a longitudinal study design, in which the change in rabies virus antibody response could be tracked over time within the same subjects.

Measurement of Rabies Virus Antibody Levels

  • Rabies-virus-neutralizing antibody (RVNA) levels in the samples were evaluated using the Rabies Fluorescent Focus Inhibition Test (RFFIT).
  • The researchers looked for an RVNA titer of above 0.5 IU/mL, which is considered to be protective against rabies.

Results of the Study

  • At the protective titer level, 88.9% of the sampled serum and 90.3% of the horses were found to show persistent immunity following vaccination.
  • While the antibody titers in the samples were found to decline over time, the decline was not significant enough to induce the emergence of the disease in the population.
  • Interestingly, purebred horses were found to have lower antibody titers, indicating they could be more susceptible to the disease.

Booster Vaccination and Duration of Immunity

  • In a separate analysis of ten horses receiving booster vaccines, eight showed increased antibody titers, suggesting the benefit of additional vaccination in some cases.
  • The results overall suggest that protective immunity against rabies in horses can last up to eight years post-vaccination.
  • These results prompt reconsideration of the common practice of annual rabies vaccination in horses.

Limitations and Future Directions

  • However, it should be noted that 9.7% of horses showed poor antibody response to the vaccine. This needs to be considered from an epidemiological perspective, to ensure disease risk is minimized.

Cite This Article

APA
Tirosh-Levy S, Shaiman Barom L, Novak S, Eyngor M, Schvartz G, Yakobson B, Steinman A. (2024). Persistence of Anti-Rabies Antibody Response in Horses Following Vaccination. Pathogens, 13(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13020125

Publication

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2076-0817
NlmUniqueID: 101596317
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 2

Researcher Affiliations

Tirosh-Levy, Sharon
  • Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
  • Division of Parasitology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 5020001, Israel.
Shaiman Barom, Leehe
  • Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
Novak, Shiri
  • WOAH Rabies Reference Laboratory, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 5020001, Israel.
Eyngor, Marina
  • WOAH Rabies Reference Laboratory, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 5020001, Israel.
Schvartz, Gili
  • Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
  • Department of Virology, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 5020001, Israel.
Yakobson, Boris
  • WOAH Rabies Reference Laboratory, Kimron Veterinary Institute, Beit Dagan 5020001, Israel.
Steinman, Amir
  • Koret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / immunology
  • Rabies / prevention & control
  • Rabies / immunology
  • Rabies / veterinary
  • Rabies Vaccines / immunology
  • Rabies Vaccines / administration & dosage
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / prevention & control
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Vaccination / veterinary
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / immunology
  • Rabies virus / immunology
  • Male
  • Female
  • Immunization, Secondary
  • Antibody Formation / immunology

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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