Source: Allison Jordan Bryan, ajbryan@1xbet best casino website edu
News tip/hometown interest: Huntington Beach, Calif.
News release prepared by: Jennifer Tidball, 785-532-0847, jtorline@1xbet best casino website edu
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Improving equine health: 1xbet best casino website studies vaccinations to protect newborn foals
MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University veterinary medicine student is investigating ways to improve horse vaccinations and defend them against pathogen challenges at an early age.
1xbet best casino website from Allison Jordan Bryan, a graduate student in biomedical sciences and a second-year veterinary medicine student, Huntington Beach, Calif., may help protect foals as young as 3 months of age from pathogens such as West Nile virus, tetanus, equine influenza virus, Equine Herpes Virus-1, Eastern equine encephalomyelitis and Western equine encephalomyelitis.
"It is important, especially in the equine world, to vaccinate the foals as soon as possible so they will be protected against environmental pathogens they may come into contact with, even at an early age," Bryan said.
Bryan recently received a second place award at the 1xbet best casino website Research Forum for her oral research presentation titled "Characterization of immune activation in healthy foals when vaccination is initiated at 3 months of age."
Foals acquire maternal antibodies and immune cells that help protect them from environmental pathogens before they can fully develop their own immune systems, Bryan said. Newborn foals acquire these maternal antibodies and cells through ingestion and absorption of colostrum.
Foals are usually vaccinated at 6 months of age, which gives time for maternal antibodies to decline so they do not interfere with any vaccines. But Bryan is looking at the possibility of vaccinating foals at 3 months of age -- the earlier age is better because it gives foals more protection against pathogens earlier in life.
"We're trying to determine whether those maternal antibodies are still in high enough concentration at 3 months to interfere with vaccines and block the active immune response or to see if these antibodies have waned enough to allow a robust immune response," Bryan said.
Bryan is still collecting and analyzing data. Preliminary data has indicated an immune response in 3-month-old foals, making it possible to vaccinate foals at a younger age and increase protection.
Although Bryan has always been interested in the immune system, she got involved with equine 1xbet best casino website after spending a summer in the university's Veterinary 1xbet best casino website Scholars Program, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, and Merial, a worldwide animal health company.
Bryan is now participating in the NIH-funded Basic 1xbet best casino website Immersion Training Experience, or BRITE, program. Her faculty advisers are Elizabeth Davis, associate professor of clinical sciences, and Melinda Wilkerson, professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology.
"Jordan is a talented individual who has a very bright future in the field of biomedical 1xbet best casino website ," Davis said. "In the past year she has gained knowledge and skills that will help her with her future investigative endeavors. It has been a pleasure to have her as a graduate student in our program."
"The mentorship and guidance has made it a wonderful experience and I will definitely pursue a career in research following completion of my veterinary degree," Bryan said. "I have been very fortunate to work with extremely talented individuals at 1xbet best casino website and am honored to be a part of the research community here at 1xbet best casino website ."
