Could Handling Reactivate Quiescent Rabies Infection in Wild Dogs?
Though highly unlikely, a small possibility remains that a few of the wild dogs in the Serengeti-Mara study populations might have been carrying rabies or supporting latent rabies infection. Could such an infection be reactivated if the animals were handled by researchers? Burrows et al. (1994; 1995) proposed three mechanisms whereby different forms of handling might have reactivated quiescent rabies infection. First, the stress of immobilization for radio-collaring might have reactivated infection. Second, the drugs used for immobilization might have suppressed the wild dogs’ immune systems, making them more sensitive to rabies. Third, the vaccines delivered might have had an immunosuppressive effect. Any of these might combine with social stress and contribute to immunosuppression (Burrows et al. 1994). I shall deal with the three mechanisms in order.
