>actually do much of the damage associated with the disease.  In most
>diseases, a vaccine is made by taking antibodies and injecting them into
>the subjects.  The antibodies give the subject protection from the virus.
>Injecting ADV antibodies into a healthy ferret
 
Actually, most vaccines are made with killed or modified versions of the
very virii they are meant to protect against.  This is to stimulate the
body to produce its *own* antibodies, which are then available to attack
the real virus if it ever appears.
 
Injecting ADV antibodies will not work because it does not stimulate the
body to keep producing its own antibodies.  Once the very few antibodies
from the injection die, there is nothing to replace them, and therefore
no protection.
 
The difficulty with creating a ADV vaccine - or any vaccine for that
matter - is to find an agent that will cause the body to create the
appropriate antibodies - *without* causing a real infection at the same
time.
 
Roger & the Fibonacci Ferts
[Posted in FML issue 3843]