Investigation of the effect of Equivac® HeV Hendra virus vaccination on Thoroughbred racing performance.
Abstract: To evaluate the effect of Equivac® HeV Hendra virus vaccine on Thoroughbred racing performance. Methods: Retrospective pre-post intervention study. Methods: Thoroughbreds with at least one start at one of six major south-eastern Queensland race tracks between 1 July 2012 and 31 December 2016 and with starts in the 3-month periods before and after Hendra virus vaccinations were identified. Piecewise linear mixed models compared the trends in 'Timeform rating' and 'margin to winner' before and after initial Hendra virus vaccination. Generalised linear mixed models similarly compared the odds of 'winning', 'placing' (1st-3rd) and 'winning any prize money'. Timeform rating trends were also compared before and after the second and subsequent vaccinations. Results: Analysis of data from 4208 race starts by 755 horses revealed no significant difference in performance in the 3 months before versus 3 months after initial Hendra vaccination for Timeform rating (P = 0.32), 'Margin to winner' (P = 0.45), prize money won (P = 0.25), wins (P = 0.64) or placings (P = 0.77). Further analysis for Timeform rating for 7844 race starts by 928 horses failed to identify any significant change in Timeform rating trends before versus after the second and subsequent vaccinations (P = 0.16) or any evidence of a cumulative effect for the number of vaccines received (P = 0.22). Conclusions: No evidence of an effect of Hendra virus vaccination on racing performance was found. The findings allow owners, trainers, industry regulators and animal health authorities to make informed decisions about vaccination.
© 2018 Australian Veterinary Association.
Publication Date: 2018-02-04 PubMed ID: 29399777DOI: 10.1111/avj.12679Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article focuses on the examination of the impact of Equivac® HeV Hendra virus vaccine on the performance of Thoroughbred racehorses. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that the vaccination didn’t have any significant effect on the horses’ racing performance.
Study Design and Methods
- The study was implemented as a retrospective pre-post intervention study, focusing on Thoroughbred horses that had at least one start at one of six major south-eastern Queensland race tracks between the duration of 1st July 2012 and 31st December 2016.
- It considered horses that had starts in the 3-month periods before and after receiving the Hendra virus vaccinations.
- Piecewise linear mixed models were used to compare the trends in the ‘Timeform rating’ and ‘margin to winner’ both before and after the initial Hendra virus vaccination.
- Generalised linear mixed models were used to compare the odds of ‘winning’, ‘placing’ (1st-3rd) and ‘winning any prize money’.
- The researchers also compared Timeform rating trends before and after the second and subsequent vaccinations.
Results
- Upon analysis of data from 4208 race starts by 755 horses, it was found that there was no significant difference in performance in the 3 months before versus 3 months after initial Hendra vaccination for Timeform rating, ‘Margin to winner’, prize money won, wins, or placings. The P-values, a statistical measure to test the null hypothesis, were all greater than 0.05, suggesting no significant effect of vaccination on these performance factors.
- Moreover, further analysis for Timeform rating for 7844 race starts by 928 horses failed to identify any significant change in Timeform rating trends before versus after the second and subsequent vaccinations, or any evidence of a cumulative effect for the number of vaccines received.
Study Conclusions
- The study found that the Hendra virus vaccination had no significant effect on the racing performance of the Thoroughbred horses.
- Based on these findings, racehorse owners, trainers, industry regulators, and animal health authorities can make informed decisions about vaccination without worrying about potential impacts on horses’ performance.
Cite This Article
APA
Schemann K, Annand EJ, Reid PA, Lenz MF, Thomson PC, Dhand NK.
(2018).
Investigation of the effect of Equivac® HeV Hendra virus vaccination on Thoroughbred racing performance.
Aust Vet J, 96(4), 132-141.
https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.12679 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, New South Wales 2570, Australia.
- Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, New South Wales 2570, Australia.
- Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Equine veterinary surgeon, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- Queensland Racing Integrity Commission, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, New South Wales 2570, Australia.
- Marie Bashir Institute for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Athletic Performance
- Female
- Hendra Virus / immunology
- Henipavirus Infections / immunology
- Henipavirus Infections / prevention & control
- Henipavirus Infections / virology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses / physiology
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Running / physiology
- Viral Vaccines / adverse effects
- Viral Vaccines / immunology
- Viral Vaccines / therapeutic use
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Ithinji DG, Buchholz DW, Ezzatpour S, Monreal IA, Cong Y, Sahler J, Bangar AS, Imbiakha B, Upadhye V, Liang J, Ma A, Bradel-Tretheway B, Kaza B, Yeo YY, Choi EJ, Johnston GP, Huzella L, Kollins E, Dixit S, Yu S, Postnikova E, Ortega V, August A, Holbrook MR, Aguilar HC. Multivalent viral particles elicit safe and efficient immunoprotection against Nipah Hendra and Ebola viruses. NPJ Vaccines 2022 Dec 17;7(1):166.
- Yuen KY, Fraser NS, Henning J, Halpin K, Gibson JS, Betzien L, Stewart AJ. Hendra virus: Epidemiology dynamics in relation to climate change, diagnostic tests and control measures. One Health 2021 Jun;12:100207.
- Degeling C, Gilbert GL, Annand E, Taylor M, Walsh MG, Ward MP, Wilson A, Johnson J. Managing the risk of Hendra virus spillover in Australia using ecological approaches: A report on three community juries. PLoS One 2018;13(12):e0209798.
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