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RE: [RC] Re:WNV--"the rest of the story" - Whiteaker, SteveDr. Newell - I think there are very serious questions concerning the efficacy of the current WNV vaccine. As near as I have been able to determine, Ft. Dodge Laboratories is yet to publish any information concerning clinically valid challenge studies. The only study they have published indicated that immunization with the vaccine would clear the challenge dose of virus in immunized horses. I view this study as of purely academic interest, since the none of the control group showed any clinical signs of WNV infection. This is clear proof that the challenge dose was insufficient. As an Immunologist, I have to view any study, such as this one, in which at least 50% of the control group does not show clinical symptoms to be poorly designed at best. If you have any information concerning published studies of WNV vaccine efficacy, please share them with us. I have and will continue to vaccinate my horses against WNV. But that is a personal decision based on emotions rather than any demonstrated efficacy of the vaccine. Steve Whiteaker, Ph.D. -----Original Message----- From: CMNewell [mailto:reshan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2003 9:08 AM To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Joane Pappas White ... Throughout the year, I was surprised to see how little of the information actually known to CDC or the scientific community was being shared with the horse community---particularly our vets. Funny--I certainly haven't felt that the CDC was hiding any information from myself or my colleagues. people were still being told that mosquitoes were the source of infection and that vaccinating the horses was recommended. Mosquitoes *are* the primary source. Vaccination *is* recommended. ... What has not been addressed by any of the vets I have talked to, and that is dozens of them, is why are we using a vaccine that is currently estimated to be more than 10% effective against the mutated virus? Could you supply a reference for this 10% estimate? I'd be interested. I am no fan of Ft. Dodge in particular, or the pharmaceutical industry in general, but I think the vaccine has a higher level of efficacy than 10%. Every time I pick up a new equine magazine and see the push to vaccinate, I shudder. The WNV vaccine has had some serious reactions and if the horse is already exposed, those reactions can be fatal. Sooooooo, why has there been no discussion of the risk vs. the benefit of the vaccine? Funny. I've seen a number of discussions on the subject. Even more important to me as a horse owner is the issue of other methods of spread of the virus and the risk I might be creating for my horse if I travel with him. Additionally, while we are being told publicly that the virus is being spread by 37+ varieties of mosquitoes, the CDC has been telling its government contacts that any of the dead birds (the vector for the disease) should be removed from the proximity of animals and people. The death rate among the bird population is huge and it appears that hundreds of thousands of birds, or their remains, may be contributing to the spread of the virus. For over a year, we have been told the virus is spread only by mosquitoes---Now go to the CDC Website (<http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/q>http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbi d/westnile/q&a.htm) and look at the newly update information on Transmission---realize that this information is more than 8 months old and is just now being released to the public. OK--I went there and looked, and I saw nothing to indicate that there was a risk from dead birds. As for the other methods of transmission, they have been widely reported in the general press here. And since my horses are unlikely to be the recipients of trans[lanted organs, the risk to them from that source is negligible. If you read all of this updated information, you will see the scope of this virus. Also keep in mind that it has been spreading all winter in regions with freezing temperatures and no mosquitoes---(CDC Website map of South Dakota--ask yourself how the entire state went positive for animals and humans in October through March when only one county reports infected mosquitoes).
Likely the dates in question are those in which the infection was
*verified*--which means that laboratory work confirmed what may well have
been a much earlier occurring clinical case.
I'm perfectly willing to believe that the existing vaccine is not the best
that we *can* have, but at present, it is the only one we *do* have.
Development is underway on newer versions, but there is a definite lag
time between development and availability.
Do I think every horse everywhere in the US is at high risk
of contracting WNV ? Not hardly.
Do I vaccinate my own stock and recommend it to folks in my area? You bet.
And I also try to eliminate standing water, use fly spray, and try to make
sure that my stock is generally healthy and therefore more likely
to survive contact with evil bugs.
Even so, I'm still very confused as to exactly what you were getting at
with your post--are we supposed to think that horses are at risk from
dead birds, that there is a government conspiracy to hude the true vector
of WNV, that the vaccine manufacturer deliberately produced a useless
vaccine, or what?
--CMNewell, DVM
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