>BTW, there is a rumor that the makers of Galaxy may be considering doing
>tests to see if it actually is effective in ferrets, and if that effect
>lasts for a year.  To date, such tests have not been done, though it
>appears likely to work.
>
>(The testing is needed to know if it actually does work.)
 
I spoke with Schering-Plough (the makers of Galaxy) in December and they
stated very clearly that they have no interest in doing the testing
required to be USDA approved.  Maybe they have changed their minds
(wouldn't that be wonderful!), but that is a huge chunk of change to
put out there when folks are already buying their vaccine.
 
There was a study done a few years ago and published in Am J Vet Res.
2001 May;62(5):736-40) called "Serologic evaluation, efficacy, and
safety of a commerical modified-live canine distemper vaccine in domestic
ferrets." by Wimsatt J, Jay MT, Innes KE, Jessen M, Collins JK.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and
Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA.
 
OBJECTIVE: To determine efficacy and safety of a commercial modified-live
canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccine used for prophylaxis in domestic
ferrets.
 
ANIMALS: Sixteen 16-week-old neutered male ferrets.
 
PROCEDURES: Equal groups of ferrets were inoculated subcutaneously at 16
and 20 weeks of age with saline (0.9% NaCl) solution or a vaccine derived
from the Onderstepoort CDV strain and attenuated in a primate cell line.
Live virulent CDV was administered to all ferrets intranasally and orally
3 weeks after the second inoculation.  Clinical signs and body weights
were monitored regularly during the study.  Blood samples for serologic
examination were drawn prior to each inoculation, before challenge
exposure, and 10, 15, and 21 days after exposure.  Blood samples for
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were obtained
5 days after the first vaccination, and 5, 10, 15, and 21 days after
challenge exposure.
 
RESULTS: After challenge exposure, control ferrets had significantly
more clinical signs and weight loss, compared with vaccinates.  All
vaccinated ferrets survived, whereas all control ferrets died.  The
RT-PCR assay was successful in detecting CDV in blood and fresh or
formalin-fixed tissues from infected ferrets.
 
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggest that the vaccine
when given SC to domestic ferrets as directed is safe and protective
against challenge exposure with virulent CDV.  The RT-PCR assay may
simplify detection of CDV in fresh and fixed tissues.
 
The problem is that no challenge studies were done longer than 21 days,
so it's not enough for USDA approval.
 
>Okay, Dr. Bruce Williams (who is a very long time friend as well as
>someone with whom I have worked multiple ferret projects through the
>years) used Galaxy when Fervac was the only alternative.  He was among
>the strongest supporters of Purevax development and it was through him
>that the ferret community first learned of Purevax, which led to a
>letter writing campaign to encourage Merial to keep up the Purevax work
>in its earliest years.
 
Does this mean that Bruce now uses Purevax on his personal ferrets?
 
Mary
 
**********************
Novel Beginnings Ferretry
http://www.geocities.com/novelbeginnings/
**********************
[Posted in FML issue 5115]