Transient Immunosuppression

[Kathy]

I was wondering if Sadie, or anybody else, would like to have a discussion about vaccine induced transient immunosuppression (most commonly associated with live or modified live vaccines).

I note a quote from the book "Diseases of Dairy Cattle" for instance, which states:

"Immunosuppression following MLV BVDV vaccination has been documented, so immunization should be timed to occur during periods of relatively low stress and low pathogen challenge".

One of the reasons I ask about this is that in the STARS Lottery promotion material a child named "Abby Hallett" of the Olds area, is stated to have developed shortness of breath and H1N1 which required Stars and hospitalization in Childrens Hospital Calgary. She was intubated by paramedics and spent 4 days in hosp. intubated. She recovered and went home after six days in hospital.

The material states, "Although Abbey had been vaccinated, she had developed H1N1 before the vaccination was able to take effect."

I am concerned that the vaccine(s) she received prior to her becoming ill, may have resulted in "transient immunosuppression" which allowed the infectious agent to take hold. I do not know whether her H1N1 was actually confirmed by lab tests (many positives where assumed). I'm attempting to contact her parents.

There appears to be more information on the topic in the animal literature than the human research.

The transient immunosuppression might help explain why so many people appear to get the flu, after they had a flu shot.

[SADIE]

Hello Kathy

Took a week off and was with many Canadians in Arizona (some watch agriville with great interest). I did look into the agriville site but waited till we got home to respond.

Kathy you ask a very difficult and loaded question. This is continually talked about in regards to BVD vaccination of the beef cow herd for types 1 & 2 BVD. Still catching up with being climatized around the place back in Canada and will respond later to this thread.

[SADIE]

The IBRPI3BVD--Bovine Vaccine is the most complex vaccine to understand (Why it is used, How it evolved, and How to use it to the highest efficacy today in a beef cow-calf operation).

The studies most recent & it is my belief that the Bovine Virus diarrhea virus is what causes immunosuppression not the modified live BVD vaccination.

There are two types of useages for this vaccination protocol. The one useage is in calves (going to summer grass) &/or preweaning/weaning fall vaccination program and the other major useage is for the prevention of the abortions, stillbirths, PI calves (persistent infected calves) with the vaccine given (timely) to the breeding cow/heifer & bulls.

The original useage of this product was to prevent the IBR abortion storms during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy so it was the "NORM" to vaccinate in the fall with (Killed IBR/PI3 BVD) vaccine. This often was done at preg-checking time.----Modified live vaccine given to the pregnant animal or to calves that went back nursing (pre-weaning) have reported in "shedding" the IBR virus causing abortion problems.

Recent studies and throughout the 2000s the emphasis has been on recognizing the endemic form of the BVD virus that I believe is within all cow-herds in western Canada. BVD takes on many clinical forms that makes one believe it is within a cow-herd ie: Stillbirths, pre mature calves,(the short time-line just before calving) and now the recognition in feedlots of the % of PI calves--Persistantly infected BVD animals that shed virus continually.

To properly vaccinate and produce blood serum titres for BVD so that the fetus (Unborn Calf is protected) vaccination is best achieved (In my understanding and belief) to use a IBR/BVD PI3 modified live vaccine pre-breeding (2-3wks) before the breeding season with a modified live vaccine (IBR/PI3, BVD (type I & II with fetal protection). This gives the optimun antibody titres to the damn for BVD protection in that early critical timeline of early preganncy. It now appears that a lower titre of IBR antibodies is still effective in preventing the IBR abortions that occured during the third trimester of pregnancy (with the spring vaccination of the IBR component of the vaccine given 8-10 months earlier--previous spring vaccination.

Operating a veterinary clinic most veterinarians would carry more than one brand of the vaccine because of the marketing strategies of some of the companies. The cadillac (top effective) vaccine and the (product of mass)less effective vaccine.

Today my first choice of Modified Live IBR/PI3 BVD vaccine (Fetal Protection) that I would use in my cow herd pre-breeding is:

1)Boehringer Ingelheim's----Express (FP).
2)Wyath's Pyramid with (FP)---Wyath has just been purchased by Boehringer Ingelheim so the one/two punch is now solely with BI.

3)Pfizer--Product line--because of advertising and huge marketing campaign is readily available in most clinics.
I question the efficacy of the (Fetal Protection)??

Kathy---I hope this thread stimulates more discussion. The BVD/IBR bovine disease & vaccination protocal is a very confusing concept in itself. I do have other concerns of vaccination that might cause immunosuppression in both human medicine and veterinary medicine.

I have (nurses) in my family and there is ongoing discussion around our table on the human vaccination of the "FLU vaccine" & or Pneumonia vaccine each fall going into the long winter season.