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Subject:
From:
Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:31:54 -0400
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There are two CD vaccine titer studies going on: the Mongo project
(Dr. Ruth Heller, a Canine Distemper expert at Columbia whose name I
apologize for forgetting, and others) and the one at U. Pitt by Dr.
Bob Wagner et al. The current studies are NOT the final studies. There
have already been smaller preliminary studies by each team showing how
long the currently available vaccines produce titers which would mean
protection IN OTHER SPECIES for HEALTHY ferrets in certain age
brackets. Now, wider ranges of data are needed. How do the data change
with a wider scope of ferrets, and in what ways with which ferrets?
THAT IS THE CURRENT WORK.

Then after that there will need to be challenge studies to find out if
the titer levels that would be protective in dogs are also levels that
would be protective in ferrets. This will involve exposures to disease
to ferrets whose vaccines were carefully spaced and whose living
conditions were carefully controlled, and who have certain titer
numbers. THAT is the ONLY way to know for sure what those titer numbers
mean and the only way to have the vaccines okayed for longer spacing in
ferrets by actual vaccination and epizootic (epidemics among animals)
disease experts.

Kim asked
>And I think that is fantastic. Will they also be testing for the
>Rabies titer?

Now, THAT is now so simple. Read my other post today on rabies
vaccines.

Also, know that diseases vary for whether titer levels are considered
reliable. An easy way to find out which zoonotic diseases have titer
levels in any species that are considered okay enough is to look at
which ones for which medical students or veterinary students can
substitute titer levels for revaccination. Unless things have changes
very, very recently titer levels are not considered a valid way to
show rabies protection. Titers from that one are not reliable enough.

The ONLY way that the spacing will be okayed to be increased (or other
vaccines okayed for use in preventing rabies in ferrets) will be to
carefully controlled and carefully timed challenge studies involving
enough ferrets and done at one of the very few labs okayed to handle
rabies (which among other things will mean providing good living
conditions there for the years of the studies for that population of
ferrets).

To learn more about the Mongo project and how you can help:

http://www.ferret.org/news/07-april-titer_study.shtm

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5736]


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