News Release 8-9-2001 |
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COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE APPROVES WEST NILE VACCINE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CHARLESTON, WV — West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass has approved an equine West Nile Virus (WNV) vaccine for use in West Virginia. He advises horse owners to talk with their local veterinarian to determine whether or not vaccination of their animals is appropriate. Douglass’ action comes shortly after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granted a conditional, one-year license to Fort Dodge Laboratories, Inc., in Iowa to distribute the vaccine. Although USDA has not completed testing on the vaccine’s potency and effectiveness, it has approved the vaccine’s safety and purity. “We want to move as quickly as possible to slow the spread of West Nile Virus, so I expedited approval of the use of this vaccine in West Virginia,” said Commissioner Douglass. “However, the Department will not be distributing the vaccine. It must come from the manufacturer to individual veterinarians.” According to Dr. Lewis Thomas, State Veterinarian and Director of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) Animal Health Division, supplies of the vaccine are limited and availability might be a problem. “This is a new product that USDA has approved to deal with an emergency situation. Therefore, not many doses of the vaccine have been produced. Anyone with concerns should remember to do everything they can to control mosquito populations around their homes and livestock,” said Thomas. Transmitted exclusively by mosquitoes, WNV was first detected in 1999 along the northeastern seaboard of the United States. It has since spread south, with a number of cases reported in Florida and Georgia this year. Birds, animals and humans can contract the disease, but there is no evidence to suggest that they can transmit it to uninfected animals. WNV in humans typically produces flu-like symptoms and is seldom fatal. Horses, however, tend to have a harder time coping with the disease. Of 85 equine cases reported in 1999 and 2000, 32 horses died, according to USDA statistics. Symptoms in horses include stumbling, weakness and muscle twitching. Experts recommend minimizing mosquito populations by eliminating standing water where the insects breed. Old tires should be disposed of properly, birdbaths should be emptied and cleaned weekly, standing water should be eliminated, and people should wear long clothes and/or insect repellent. For more information about West Nile Virus, contact WVDA’s Animal Health Division at 304/558-2214.
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