Core horse vaccines identified in US review

January 30, 2008

Revised guidelines for the use of horse vaccines in the United States have named tetanus, rabies, West Nile virus, and Eastern/Western encephalomyelitis as key diseases against which horses should be inoculated.

The Infectious Disease Committee of the American Association of Equine Practitioners said: "Core vaccines have clearly demonstrated efficacy and safety, and exhibit a high enough level of patient benefit and low enough level of risk to justify their use in the majority of patients."

The American Veterinary Medical Association defines core vaccinations as those that are legally required, protect from endemic diseases that have potential public health significance, are virulent or highly infectious, or pose a risk of severe disease.

The committee, chaired by veterinarian Mary Scollay, has made recommendations for the use of vaccines based on the age of the horse and its previous vaccination history.

The guidelines are intended to serve as a reference for veterinarians as they employ vaccines in their daily duties.

Other areas covered in the document, "Guidelines for the Vaccination of Horses", include:

• The addition of a vaccination protocol for anthrax.

• Recommendations for the storage and handling of vaccines, as well as information on vaccine labelling and adverse reactions.

• Inclusion of the organisation's Infectious Disease Control Guidelines, which provide an action plan for the containment of infectious disease during an outbreak.

The committee said veterinarians should talk with clients and use the vaccination guidelines, coupled with available products, to determine the best professional care for patients.

Horse owners should talk with a licensed veterinarian before initiating a vaccination programme.

"The goal of the guidelines is to provide current information that will enable veterinarians and clients to make thoughtful and educated decisions on vaccinating horses in their care," says Dr Scollay.

"The vaccination schedules are complemented by supporting information on topics including vaccine technology and disease risk-assessment, allowing veterinarians to customise vaccination programmes specific to the needs of an individual horse or group of horses.

"The impact of infectious disease has been felt across the equine industry in recent years, and the Committee hopes that these guidelines will be a useful tool in preventing or mitigating the effects of equine infectious disease."

The committee, comprised of researchers, vaccine manufacturers and private practitioners, updated guidelines that were established by the AAEP in 2001.

The complete document, along with easy reference charts, is available on the AAEP Web site at http://www.aaep.org/vaccination_guidelines.htm.

The American Association of Equine Practitioners has 9000 members worldwide.