[Alpacasite] Re: Anyone giving BVD vaccine?

--- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, sprucealpacas@a... wrote:
> 2. This one I do not fully understand but this is what I have
been told: A
> female with antibodies can in fact have a PI cria. Even though
she has
> antibodies, I have been told that the new exposure MAY be able to
pass thru the
> placenta and affect the cria. This is especially true of a dam
who gave birth
> to a PI cria and is pregnant again. To me this implies a vaccine
would not
> be effective because I would think a vaccine would work the same
as an
> exposure - both build antibodies.

Steve,

Again, many thanks for your experience. It is greatly appreciated.

As for the above comment, I don't understand it either, and it really
doesn't make any sense. The whole point of giving any vaccine is to
produce immunity. Immunity is generally created by a primed immune
system. We know the immune system is primed and ready by the presence
of an antibody titer.

Hence, antibodies (at least at a certain level and with a competent
immune system) equals immunity. To say otherwise turns basic
immunology on its head.

I can accept that a PI cria may have left over antibodies from
colostrum that become overwhelmed by a persistent viral infection. I
can't accept that an adult with a competent immune system can have
both antibodies and still produce a PI cria. It simply makes no sense
to me.

And BTW, thinking along these lines may give us a therapy for curing
those PI cria that you have. Have the researchers at Cornell thought
of the following?.........

Use the attenuated vaccine on male llama blood doners. Repeat the
vaccination on these llamas until you have serum very very high in
antibodies to BVD. Prepare multiple units of hyperimmune plasma from
these llamas.

With hyperimmune plasma now prepared, give your otherwise immune
competent PI cria a plasma transfusion. Wait a week or so and measure
their BVD viral level. Assuming there is still a viral load
measureable, give the PI cria another plasma transfusion. Continue
this therapy until there is no measurable virus, then give more
plasma transfusions (say, 2 more at 1 week intervals) just to make
sure there is no virus left that is in such small amount that it is
immeasurable.

In theory the cria is now free of virus. It will have no defense
against BVD, but in a herd that is free of this disease it will never
be exposed again. The cria will no longer be a carrier and thus would
not have to be euthanized.

Best regards,

Neil
A Paca Fun Farm
Mt. Airy, Maryland
Sugarloaf Mountain, Maryland
www.apacafunfarm.com

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