Owners have been urged not to panic, nor change their practices, as experts monitor the potential impact of a shortage of equine flu vaccinations. The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), British Equestrian (BEF) and the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) are working together on the issue. The organisations had been aware of “minor interruptions to the […]
Horsetalk.co.nz Equine flu vaccine study sparked by 2018 outbreak in Europe
The Equilis Prequenza equine influenza vaccine has been shown in a study to provide high levels of protection against a new strain that triggered major outbreaks in Europe in 2018.
The outbreaks in Europe occurred despite various equine flu vaccines being widely available, Sylvia Reemers and her colleagues noted in the journal
Vaccine.
Influenza viruses are known for their high mutation rate, causing antigenic drift over time.
In 2018 and early 2019, major outbreaks were reported in South America and a great part of Europe. Genetic analysis revealed the virus belonged to the H3N8 Florida Clade 1 strain.