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[gsmangus]

In the November 2007 Canadian Veterinary Journal, a team of researchers report a recent retrospective study of 133 Saskatchewan horses infected with West Nile in 2003.  They discovered 3 variables linked to the outcome of the disease (whether the horse died or successfully fought off the disease) and over which the owners have NO control:  sex, color, and time of infection.  Fatality rates were higher for stallions, followed by geldings, then mares....  light colored coats had higher fatality rates...  and infection in the month of August had higher fatality than September (in Canada).   Interestingly- 9 of the infected horses had been fully vaccinated and of those 9, 5 died, altho the researchers say the low number of vaccinated horses means you can not draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of the vaccine.

[debjaret]

Wow....interesting facts, and really makes you wonder about the value of vaccinating for this?   Bad serum?   Thanks for posting that.   Deb.J