Can llamas get West Nile Virus? If so, is the vaccine the same for llamas that it is for horses? If not,
what can be used?

Answer:

With all the attention that the West Nile Virus has been getting in the news media this is a very timely
question. Although humans and a lot of other animal species do get it, it is thought that ruminants are
not susceptible to getting the disease. This may or may not include llamas and alpacas.

On August 10, 2002, Dr. David Anderson, from The Ohio State University School of Veterinary
Medicine posted the following statement.

WEST NILE VIRUS: ARE LLAMAS AND ALPACAS AT RISK?

We get a lot of questions regarding West Nile Virus and its potential danger
to llamas and alpacas.

Can animals become infected with West Nile Virus? The answer is yes. "Other
animals have also been found to be infected and have died from WNV. During the year
2000, reports from the Eastern states found WNV infecting 58 horses, two bats, a
domestic rabbit, a skunk, a cat, a gray squirrel, and a chipmunk." Having said that,
ruminant species, including llamas and alpacas, have not been diagnosed with WNV.
Llamas and alpacas fall into that category and do not seem to be susceptible to WNV
infection.

At this time, I do not see WNV as a threat to our llamas and alpacas. Thus, I am not
vaccinating for the disease. We have no way to know if the WNV vaccine would have a
damaging effect or protective effect in llamas and alpacas because the vaccine was not
developed for use in these two species.

On September 19, 2002 the following statement was released by the International Lama Relations
Committee and posted by Dr. David Anderson.

ILRC Animal Health Bulletin

The Government Relations/Animal Health working group is now functioning independently
from ILR as the International Lama Relations Committee. The ILRC has been monitoring
situations in which a llama is alleged to have West Nile Virus in Mass and another involving
an alpaca in Iowa and we wanted to share with you this update. Please pass on to your
members and mail lists.

The case of alleged WNV in a llama in Mass involved a llama that died in June. This is NOT
a confirmed case of WNV as the case involved is one with suspect serology, no post mortem
conclusions and no confirmed clinical diagnosis. A full investigation will take time and if
done, may not ever be scientifically conclusive.

Unfortunately, yesterday morning we received confirmation from the Iowa State University
Veterinary Lab that West Nile Virus has been confirmed in an alpaca. The clinical signs, lesions
in the brain and virus detection in the body tissues all support this was in fact a case
of WNV. We also learned the lab has also recently confirmed WNV in a sheep. Both the
alpaca and the sheep had been recently introduced to their respective herds raising the
question of whether stress was a contributing factor to their development of clinical disease.

This is not a lama emergency situation and owners should not over react or draw improper
conclusions based upon news reports, chat lines, incomplete or inaccurate science. There is
insufficient information available at this time to determine how susceptible camelids are to
WNV or if this was an exceptional case, though we obviously now know camelids are capable
of becoming infected with West Nile Virus. It is recommended that extra precaution and
care be taken by camelid owners in high WNV risk areas to reduce mosquitoes by draining
sources of standing water and thereby reducing places they lay their eggs and breed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) further recommends:
At least once or twice a week, empty water from flower pots, pet food and water dishes,
birdbaths, swimming pool covers, buckets, barrels, and cans.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Dan Goodyear: Ph: 610-488-6666 email: BALDAN@aol.com
Marsharee Wilcox: Ph: 410-374-3783 email: evllamas@bellatlantic.net
Teri Nilson Baird: Ph: 303-646-4373 email: teri@brokenwindmill.com
Karen Conyngham: Ph: 512-328-8715 email: 72040.3361@compuserve.com
Susan Tellez: Ph: 409-866-0247 email: Sztellez@aol.com

Then on October 2, 2002 the following statement was made as an animal health bulletin by the
International Lama Relations Committee and posted as an update by Dr. Anderson.

West Nile Virus Update
International Lama Relations Committee Animal Health Bulletin

We are now aware of several additional WNV suspicious llama and alpaca cases that are
being monitored and studied. While there is ongoing investigation into the conditions of
these animals, people are encouraged to not assign definite labels until there is a definite
diagnoses supported by laboratory results. Until then, while we might have strong evidence
to believe that there will be a WNV diagnosis, it should be considered presumptive, not
definitive.

There is currently some ground work for WNV vaccine antigenic capability in camelids being
done which may require industry funding. We will continue to report to you. Symptoms
possibly indicating WNV in camelids might be confused with those exhibited in animals
suffering from meningeal worm or listeriosis, among other diseases. Clinical symptoms of
WNV may include "downer" lama symptoms; contracture of the neck muscles; in
coordination; lying down, seizures; and vocalizing in pain. In the recent alpaca case, the animal
exhibited clinical signs for 3.5 days prior to death. Should you see any of these signs
in your lamas, immediately contact your veterinarian for assistance and if appropriate,
discuss the very specific tests necessary to confirm WNV. It is also recommended your
veterinarian contact the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa regarding
WNV testing.

We would appreciate hearing from you should you experience any of these problems at your
farm as the ILRC is tracking WNV cases in camelids and monitoring development of
treatment regimes and vaccines to share with the industry.

Dan Goodyear: Ph: 610-488-6666 email: BALDAN@aol.com
Marsharee Wilcox: Ph: 410-374-3783 email:evllamas@bellatlantic.net
Teri Nilson Baird: Ph: 303-646-4373 email:teri@brokenwindmill.com
Karen Conyngham: Ph: 512-328-8715 email: 72040.3361@compuserve.com
Susan Tellez: Ph: 409-866-0247 email: Sztellez@aol.com

Primarily a wild-bird disease, West Nile Virus is a mosquito-borne virus and with the mosquito not
being killed by the cold in the south, in the winter, it looks like this problem may be with us for years to
come. There are a number of things we can all be doing to keep our environment safer for our
animals and ourselves.

1. Eliminating standing water on their property, to prevent mosquito breeding.

2. Housing animals inside at dawn, dusk, and night, which are peak mosquito times.

3. Avoiding leaving lights on inside stables in the evening or overnight.

4. Placing incandescent bulbs away from the perimeter of stables.

5. Using fans to create air movement over stabled animals.

6. Removing all birds, including wild birds and chickens, that are in or close to stables.

7. Using mosquito repellant on llamas.

8. Fogging stables with pesticide in the evening.

9. Checking the property for dead blue jays and crows, and reporting them to the local health
department.

10. Removing all discarded tires from your property or put them under cover so they don't collect
water.

11. Disposing of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers.

12. Making sure roof gutters drain properly, clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.

13. Cleaning and chlorinating swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. If not in use, keeping
them empty and covered.

14. Draining water from pool covers.

15. Changing the water in bird baths at least once a week.

16. Turning over plastic wading pools, and wheelbarrows, etc. when not in use.

17. Eliminating low spots in pastures that tend to have standing water by filling them with dirt.

Here is another neat trick that I learned from a friend in Texas. If you use conventional watering troughs
that have the potential of becoming breeding grounds for the mosquito, put a couple of gold
fish in each tank. They will eat the larva.

After reading all of the postings above, I have to say I do not know if llamas and alpacas are
susceptible to the West Nile Virus infection, but it may appear so. However, most of us do have other
pets or livestock that may be and prevention seems to be the best approach. We can all stay
up to date on this troubling subject by following the updates that are being posted by Dr. Anderson
at: http://www.internationalcamelidinstitute.org or contacting Dr. Anderson at
Anderson.670@osu.edu Phone: 614-292-6661 Fax: 614-292-3530.