From:
Ferretwise
Date: 2001-12-14 23:29:00 UTC
Subject: Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Digest Number 513
Dr Ruth-
Thank you for clarifying these points!
Alicia
I would like to ask what? on distemper titers they DO know - I
know a
shelter vet DR XXX in TX who sent blood out in a distemper case
and they
can identify titers from vaccination exposure, post exposure to
live virus,
etc. If this cannot be identified - then I would like to know
how they can
rate exposure from the titer tests . IS this not how the
vaccine trials
utilize the efficacy ratings?
Well, what we do know is that a titer from an animal that has been
exposed to the virus is a lot higher than an animal that has been
vaccinated. What we do not know is what level of protection a
titer in a vaccinated animal indicates. For instance, if we have
a titer that is at a certain level, does that mean the animal is
protected against distemper or not? We just do not have enough
data to determine that. I personally feel that the vaccines are
protective for more than a year. But I do not *know* that, and I
refuse to risk my ferrets to a fatal disease. So I vaccinate
them, and I recommend annual vaccination. I will continue to do
this until we have more proof about the duration of immunity
produced by the vaccine extending beyond one year.
And I'm afraid that the rabies immunity levels extending to three
years were not done by measuring titers, but rather by conducting
tests which involved exposing vaccinated animals to rabies, and
seeing if they came down with the disease, not by measuring titer
levels.
Dr. Ruth
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