title: Concurrent vaccination against equine influenza and equine herpesvirus - a practical approach.
abstract: There is a lack of information concerning concurrent administration of vaccines against equine influenza virus (EIV) and equine herpesvirus 1 and 4 (EHV-1/4).
  
  
  
  The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of the concurrent use of EIV and EHV-1/4 vaccines in Thoroughbred racehorses on their humoral immune response to EIV.
  
  
  
  This study was carried out on a population of 30 horses using an inactivated whole-virus EIV vaccine and an inactivated EHV-1/4 vaccine. Horses were randomly allocated to vaccination group A or B. Horses in group A were vaccinated against EIV and EHV-1/4 2 weeks apart. Horses in group B were vaccinated against EIV and EHV-1/4 on the same day. Whole-blood samples were collected on the day of vaccination and 2 weeks and 6 weeks post-vaccination. Antibody levels against EIV and EHV-1/4 were measured using the single radial haemolysis and serum neutralisation test, respectively.
  
  
  
  The pattern of EIV antibody response post-vaccination was similar for both groups. Highest EIV antibody levels were recorded 2 weeks post-vaccination, and a significant decrease in antibody level was observed 4 weeks later. Horses in group B demonstrated a significantly higher EIV antibody response post-vaccination. Overall, there was no significant difference in EHV-1/4 antibody response between the two groups post-vaccination.
  
  
  
  In this study, concurrent vaccination against EIV and EHV-1/4 increased the response to EIV and did not compromise the humoral immune response to EHV-1/4.
authors.affiliation: Virology Unit, The Irish Equine Centre, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gildea
authors.affiliation: Hawkfield, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
authors.forename: Maria Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Sanchez Higgins
authors.affiliation: Virology Unit, The Irish Equine Centre, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Cathal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: Virology Unit, The Irish Equine Centre, Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cullinane
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D004861:Herpesvirus 1, Equid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D023141:Herpesvirus 4, Equid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000821:virology; D006736:Horses / Q000276:immunology*; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D053123:Influenza A Virus, H3N8 Subtype / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D011897:Random Allocation; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D022283:Herpesvirus Vaccines; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; C006912:carboxypolymethylene
keywords: Concurrent; herpesvirus; influenza; racehorse; vaccination