PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE
Refer to Vogelnest and Portas (2008) and Vogelnest (2015) for more information on preventative medicine for macropods.
3.1 Vaccines
3.1.1 Tetanus vaccination
Tammar wallabies administered two 1 mL doses of a multivalent clostridial vaccine (Ultravac® 5 in 1, Zoetis Australia Pty Ltd, Rhodes, NSW) developed higher, more persistent anti-tetanus antibodies when doses were given q 14 wk, compared with q 4 wk dosing (Phillips et al.
2012). Wallabies received an additional booster dose at 12 mo. Subsequent samples collected opportunistically in several vaccinated wallabies demonstrated elevated titres up to 7 yr post-vaccination, without additional boosters.3.1.2 Echinococcus granulosus vaccination (see section 4.1.4b) Barnes et al. (2009) administered a cloned oncosphere antigen (Eg95) vaccine to tammar wallabies (2 doses q 4 wk). All vaccinated wallabies seroconverted. No vaccinated wallabies challenged with intra-oesophageal Echinococcus granulosus eggs at 1 mo had evidence of disease at 12 mo post-infection. Two vaccinated wallabies challenged at 9 mo developed disease, but with significantly lower infection intensity than controls. This vaccine may be beneficial in the release of zoo-bred animals into affected areas. An Eg95 recombinant vaccinia virus vaccine administered orally to common brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) elicited measurable antibody titres (Cross et al. 2011); such a vaccine has the potential to impact sylvatic cycles.
4.