[at-l] West Nile

[askowronek@mindspring.com (Amy)]

On Tuesday, September 10, 2002, at 06:05 PM, W F Thorneloe wrote:

> And in Columbus, GA, a 12 year old was diagnosed with the disease, but
> had
> improved and discharged home before serologies returned.
>
> There is an equine vaccine but I don't anticipate a human vaccine for
> many
> years - if ever. We have the experience of St. Louis Equine Encephalitis
> for many decades without finding vaccine, which is a very similar
> disease.
> I am much more worried about the numbers of bird species and dead birds
> discovered in the affected regions. I suspect that West Nile may turn
> out
> to be a bigger national tragedy than last year's events, only slower to
> develop and less immediately dramatic.
>

As a horseowner in Maryland, where we have plenty of West Nile running
around, I can tell you that the equine vaccine isn't very popular.  But
that's
because it's new, and we have little experience with it.  The several
vets who come to our farm are all advising against the vaccine until
there are more statistics on reactions to it.

-amy