Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

For those looking for facts and figures, here's some info from the study
of 500 horses done by CSU last year. The full report is available at:
ftp://ftp.communications.colostate.edu/westnile.doc 

Colorado State College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
honors students contacted more than 500 owners of affected horses in both
states to gather information about their individual circumstances. The
study was a collaborative effort between the state veterinarians in
Colorado and Nebraska , the Veterinary Diagnostic Center in Nebraska and
Colorado State University 's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical
Sciences.
- The estimated case fatality rate for affected horses in Colorado and
Nebraska was 28.6 percent, similar to reports from other regions of the
United States .
- All ages of equine cases can apparently become diseased due to West Nile
Virus infection. Although the average age of equine cases affected in the
study was nine years, the age range for equine cases was from three months
to 35 years.
- Among the affected cases, 9.4 percent were intact males, 44.4 percent
were castrated males and 46.2 percent were females.
- Sixty-four percent of West Nile Virus cases in Nebraska and Colorado
were quarter horses, which is likely because quarter horses are the most
common breed of horse in the Western states. However, many other horse
breeds were also affected.
- It appears that both donkeys and mules can also develop disease due to
West Nile Virus.
- Only 13 cases were fully vaccinated based on current recommendations
from the vaccine manufacturer, meaning the equines had two vaccinations
separated by three to six weeks followed by adequate time for the vaccines
to be fully effective before the arrival of vector season. Of these, the
survival status of 12 is known and all 12 lived.
- Where vaccination status was available, approximately 47 percent of the
affected cases in the study had received at least one dose of the West
Nile Virus vaccine before becoming infected. Three percent were vaccinated
only after clinical signs were displayed, and 50 percent were
non-vaccinated.
- The case fatality rate among the West Nile Virus cases that had been
vaccinated a minimum of one time prior to onset of signs was 20.3 percent,
while 36.6 percent of unvaccinated animals had died or were euthanized.
- Of surviving animals, 82 percent were considered fully recovered by
their owners. In others still showing signs of infection, decreased
stamina was the most commonly reported residual sign, followed by weight
loss and/or loss of condition.



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software
http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=