It’s vital to revert to bi-annual flu boosters, experts say
As equine influenza (EI) vaccine supply returns to normal, following a significant shortage, and at a time when the UK is seeing an increase in EI activity, experts are advising that there is sound scientific evidence as to why bi-annual vaccination schedules should be promptly re-implemented. The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) has published an article […] The post It’s vital to revert to bi-annual flu boosters, experts say appeared first on Your Horse.
As equine influenza (EI) vaccine supply returns to normal, following a significant shortage, and at a time when the UK is seeing an increase in EI activity, experts are advising that there is sound scientific evidence as to why bi-annual vaccination schedules should be promptly re-implemented.
The Equine Veterinary Journal (EVJ) has published an article reviewing the science behind the enhanced EI vaccination schedules, in particular the replacement of annual boosters with a mandatory bi-annual vaccination programme.
In their article ‘Equine influenza bi-annual boosters: what does the evidence tell us?’ Victoria Colgate and Richard Newton build on the work recently published by Fleur Whitlock and colleagues in; ‘An epidemiological overview of the equine influenza epidemic in Great Britain during 2019’. They discuss what has been learnt from previous outbreaks and explain the evidence from mathematical models to show why bi-annual boosters are beneficial.
Epidemiological data from previous natural EI outbreaks have repeatedly demonstrated the impermanent nature of the protection provided by vaccination and observational field studies repeatedly highlight the potential for 12-monthly boosters to leave a vulnerable immunity gap at both the individual animal and population level. Mathematical models of EI transmission confirm that six-monthly rather than annual EI booster vaccinations are preferable to establish and maintain effective population level immunity to EI.
“The equine industry must surely remain resolute and guided by scientific principles,” said the authors. “The clear evidence from experimental, epidemiological and mathematical modelling studies shows why we must encourage clients to revert to a schedule of bi-annual boosters.
“We must also remind horse owners that animals already on six-monthly vaccination regimes were best positioned for the vaccine shortage with a built-in tolerance in their vaccination schedule; their levels of immunological protection would not be expected to decline to susceptible levels, even with a slight delay before being re-vaccinated.”
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ, added: “Although the recent EI vaccine shortage has necessitated a temporary relaxation of competition vaccine schedules, we must now renew the message that six-monthly boosters are optimal and necessary.”
Lead image by Fiona Williams
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The post It’s vital to revert to bi-annual flu boosters, experts say appeared first on Your Horse.
