Here is something from Bruce Williams which will interest you (Seems to be
a day for oldies but goodies).  I don't know what the updates on this work
are, but I doubt it hurt in any way for people to once again get in touch
and find out.  If this is pursued it will very likely virtually remove the
danger of vaccine reactions:
 
>I recently talked with Dr. Dick Montali, an old friend and the head of the
>Pathology Dept at the National Zoo.  It appears that he has identified an
>efficacious recombinant canine distemper vaccine which is not only
>protective for ferrets but does not cause the high rate of anaphylactic
>reactions seen with Fervac-D.
>
>He has been using it on a test basis in a number of exotic species at the
>NZP, including the black-footed ferret crosses at Front Royal, and his
>contact at Merial (who also produces Imrab) suggests that a letter campaign
>may help convince the higher-ups at that company to test in ferrets and
>bring it to market.  It is a non-marketed vaccine produced by Merial for
>use in zoo exotics.
>
>Dick is a fine person as well as a veterinary pathologist of the highest
>order ... As you know, I am not the type to "stir the pot" of the ferret
>community very often, but if we have a chance to bring a safe distemper
>vaccine to the market, I think we should all mobilize on this one.
>
>I am hoping that you can help pass the word to the FML, Sukie... The idea,
>as always, is not to send angry letters, but persuasive letters to Merial.
>
>I am attaching Dick's memo to me and the Amer. Assoc. of Zoo Veterinarians
>which you may disseminate in the widest fashion.
 
>>CANINE DISTEMPER VACCINE ALERT
 
>>A Recombinant Vaccine Potentially Available for Exotic Carnivores and
>>Ferrets
>>
>>Initiation of a Letter Campaign
>>
>>Currently there are no licensed CDV vaccines commercially available that
>>can be used safely in CDV-susceptible exotic carnivores.  The
>>modified-live products are dangerous because they can induce clinical
>>canine distemper in most susceptible carnivores exhibited in zoological
>>parks.  There have been a number of outbreaks of canine distemper both in
>>zoos and in the wild, with no capability of protecting these animals from
>>the ravages of this disease.  Many are endangered species.  Existing
>>modified-live canine distemper vaccines labeled for ferrets have been
>>associated with unpleasant reactions and in some cases with immunization
>>failures.  Pet ferrets are a growing multi-billion dollar industry that
>>will readily provide a substantial market for a safe and effective canine
>>distemper vaccine.
>>
>>Recently, Merial Ltd.  in Athens, GA has successfully marketed a
>>multivalent vaccine for dogs (Recombitek series) containing a recombinant
>>(canary pox vectored) canine distemper vaccine component which is not
>>infectious.  In 1997, Merial provided the recombinant distemper component
>>as an experimental monovalent vaccine to the American Association of Zoo
>>Veterinarians' (AAZV) vaccine committee for clinical trials in a number
>>of carnivore species.  Challenge-results in ferret-crosses showed the
>>recombinant vaccine to be entirely safe and efficacious, and
>>seroconversion was acceptable in most of the zoo species vaccinated,
>>including felids.
>>
>>According to Merial, this vaccine is supposed to be developed as a
>>monovalent ferret product that could be used (off-label) for zoo
>>carnivores.  But it is unclear when and if this will really happen.
>>Merial Ltd. holds a biological product which potentially could remove
>>the threat of canine distemper from these valuable species.  We therefore
>>urge that as a Zoo or Wildlife Park, a Conservation Organization or a
>>Ferret Association, you write a letter directly to Merial Ltd. voicing
>>your needs for this very important vaccine.
>>
>>Please do this as soon as possible. Send the letter to:
>>
>>Dr. Zack Mills,
>>Director of Marketing
>>Merial Ltd.
>>115 Transtech Drive
>>Athens, GA 30601
>>
>>Thank you. Richard J. Montali, DVM, Chairman, Canine Distemper
>>Vaccine   Committee, AAZV
 
Answers to some question which arose last time:
 
Some of the "big cats" such as lions get canine distemper.
 
>The reason the vector is canary pox is that it is a recombinant vaccine.
>That means that this particular strain of canary pox (which is of no
>virulence to ferrets or mammals - remember we have always looked for
>distemper vaccines that are passaged in duck eggs) has had a small amount
>of the genome of the distemper virus put in it.  The canary pox virus now
>exhibits some of the non-infectious envelope proteins of distemper, so the
>body can mount a response against the virus, without having been exposed
>to the infectious particle itself.  (Source: BW)
 
>24 blackfoot-Siberian hybrids - all protected against a natural strain of
>CD from black-footed ferrets.  (Source BW from DM)
[Posted in FML issue 2915]