From Monday, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) will start carrying out autumn oral vaccination of foxes against rabies. It is part of the Program for the prevention, supervision, control and eradication of the disease rabies, which was developed and implemented by the BABH since 2009, the Agency announced.
The process takes place in the 50-kilometer vaccination zone along the northern, western and southern land borders of the country and in the 20-kilometer zone along the Danube River and covers 23 districts.
Specially equipped planes will scatter about 1.5 million baits from the air, and in the no-fly zones the vaccines will be laid manually. The campaign is scheduled to start from Lesnovo Airport, Sofia region and will continue until the end of November, depending on weather conditions.
The lures will be scattered on the territory of the regions of Pernik, Kyustendil, Smolyan, Kardjali, Haskovo, Dobrich, Silistra, Vidin, Montana, Blagoevgrad, Pazardzhik, Yambol, Burgas, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Sofia region, the surroundings of Sofia-city , Shumen, Razgrad, Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, Pleven and Vratsa. Vaccines will not be spread over populated areas and water bodies.
Around Sofia and around the Kozloduy NPP, baits will be distributed manually by specially trained persons.
Vaccine baits are cube-shaped and have a specific smell that attracts predators. In case of accidental contact with the baits, it is good to consult a doctor. Vaccines do not pose a health risk to other wild animals.
The control of the carried out vaccination includes: control of the reception of vaccine baits, serological surveillance, by detecting antibodies against the rabies virus in blood samples of vaccinated animals.
Rabies is a dangerous viral disease that affects all mammals and humans, with a fatal outcome. Bulgaria's strategy for the prevention and eradication of the disease includes oral vaccination of foxes and annual vaccination of dogs.