Where's The Human West Nile Vaccine?
 

JACKSON, Miss. -- Why is there is there a West Nile virus vaccine for horses -- available for the past year -- but nothing for humans? Officials say they're working on it.

Dr. Larry Mayberry, a horse veterinarian in Mississippi, wonders why it isn't already here.

Mayberry has vaccinated or sold West Nile virus vaccine to more than 1,000 horse owners in the past year.

"For the next two or more years, we're going to have to vaccinate most horses to get an immune populus," he said.

Two shots in a one year keeps the horses safe and Mayberry busy. But why can't humans use the horse vaccine? Mayberry said it's a matter of physiology.

"Any vaccine, there has to be an adjuvant, a carrying agent, and the adjuvant would have to be different than it would be for a horse, than it would be for a dog or something else," he said.

But he said he doesn't understand why a horse vaccine has been available for more than a year, but nothing for humans.

"What is the likelihood, what is the time sequence, they have to develop to get a vaccine, approved and on the market," he said. "To be very blunt, I don't think it would be that difficult to develop a vaccination for human medicine."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working on a vaccine, but it will take several years, officials said.

Mayberry has lost three horse "patients" to the virus. He said he will vaccinate all horses until all of them have built up an immunity.

Previous Stories:

• August 20, 2002: Kentucky Man Dies Of West Nile

• August 19, 2002: Two More West Nile Deaths Suspected

• August 17, 2002: Expert: Spread Of West Nile Unprecedented

• August 16, 2002: West Nile Death Toll Climbs To 10

• August 16, 2002: Health Officials Keep Eye On New Virus Carrier

• August 15, 2002: West Nile Virus Appears In Colorado

• August 15, 2002: Ohio Man, Woman Contract West Nile Virus

• August 14, 2002: Florida Zoos Protect Animals From West Nile

• August 14, 2002: Mississippi Reports Second West Nile Death

• August 13, 2002: Human West Nile Cases Keep Popping Up