AUSTRALIAN HORSE INDUSTRY COUNCIL
For further updates or to have these emailed to you please contact the Australian Horse Industrry www.horsecouncil.org.au

Message to Horse owners regarding vaccination.

There are calls to implement vaccination immediately. There are problems with vaccination which have been well summarised by Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (see below). Although Animal Health Australia is trying to source supplies it is most unlikely that we can use vaccination in the face of the current spreading outbreak. Vaccination is no magic bullet. The vaccine is not very effective and it will not be here quickly enough.

There are other considerations. Although those severely affected in NSW are calling for urgent vaccination, it will affect all horse owners in Australia. It has to be a decision made with consideration of the national position.
If vaccination stops us from eradicating EI, any horse owner that wants to move, show or compete his horse will have to vaccinate twice a year. The cost of this will be over $200 per horse per year. The cost of this eradication scheme will be $10 per horse (once per lifetime). I'm no economist but I can see that vaccination will be much more costly than eradication. The problem with the control stategy is that it is hurting people dependent on horses. However, vaccination will still require the standstill to continue so the hurt will not go away. We are seeking emergency support from Governments such as is available in other National Emergencies.

Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria's expert's advice is as follows:
• Vaccination may reduce the ability to detect and diagnose EI by reducing clinical signs, whilst still allowing horses to be infected and spread EI

• In vaccinated horses, blood tests will be unable to be used to determine
if a horse has a current or prior infection hindering control measures

• Vaccinated horses have been responsible for the spread of EI to several countries including Australia

• Imported stallions in Eastern Creek which were vaccinated still became infected with this strain of EI virus

• Europe has a vaccinated racing and sport horse population but outbreaks of EI continue

• Mass vaccination of all JRA racehorses twice yearly did not prevent a recent epidemic in Japan

• Care must be taken that vaccine teams do not spread disease

• Current vaccines require 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart and then a 7 day lag phase to induce immunity

• Adverse reactions to EI vaccination are reported and vaccine manufacturers recommend a period of rest after vaccination. This creates a problem for horses in training.

• We don’t know what strain of EI has caused this outbreak in Australia

• The vaccines are unlikely to include the current viral strain and unless satisfactory cross immunity can occur it may be useless

• The only vaccine licensed for use in horses exported from Australia does not contain the current OIE recommended EI strains

• The use of unlicensed vaccines may create legal issues in the event of adverse reactions

• Vaccine based immunity is short lived and breakdowns have been reported as little as 4 weeks after vaccination

• There will not be enough vaccine doses for the entire population and unless the other breeds which represent 80% of the horse population are vaccinated it may prove useless in preventing further spread of EI
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• Many horses do not have suitable identification or passports to record vaccination

• Vaccination of high risk or high ‘value’ horses may be necessary in a controlled program if the current outbreak spreads but needs careful consideration

The Australian Horse Industry Council is involved in the discussion on vaccination but needs horse people to understand all the issues involved
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We try to represent the interests of all horse people but in this current situation various factions and states are polarised for very obvious reasons
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Vaccination is not a simple solution - we may chose to use it but it will cost us in the future.