• Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
Monday, January 30, 2023
  • Login
  • Register
Big Cat Rescue
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
Big Cat Rescue
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
Big Cat Rescue
No Result
View All Result
Home News World

Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients

BCR by BCR
June 10, 2008
in News World
0 0
0
0
SHARES
20
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association

Veterinary Committee Statement

Regarding the Use of Human Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients

 

Avian influenza and other emerging viruses are increasingly a significant threat to the health of wild birds, zoo species, poultry, and people around the world.  There are currently four approved antiviral drugs, in two classes, for the treatment or prevention of influenza A in humans. These are the adamantanes (amantadine and rimantadine) and the neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir).  The drugs are not approved for use in the treatment or prevention of influenza or other viral infections in animals.

If and when a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) capable of transmission to humans and adapted to human-to-human spread arrives in the United States, Tamiflu® (oseltamivir phosphate, Roche Laboratories, Inc., Nutley, NJ) will be used as the first line of defense for preventing a catastrophic viral epidemic in humans.  Unfortunately, avian influenza viruses can mutate rapidly and the Asian strain HPAI H5N1 already has shown some resistance to these few anti-viral drugs available to treat the disease in people <http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/H1N1ResistanceWeb20080505.pdf>.

Public health professionals whom we have consulted have recommended in very strong terms that these drugs NOT be used in wildlife.  When Tamiflu® is used and then metabolized and excreted by people or other animals, it can persist in the environment for extended periods, potentially leading to avian influenza viruses acquiring drug resistance (Singer et al 2007).  Using the medication in wildlife for the prevention of other viral diseases (like parvovirus, distemper, etc.) might well lead to a highly resistant form of avian influenza and other viruses in the environment for which there would be no useful treatments should humans become sick.                                              

In 2005, the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and World Organization for Animal Health  (OIE) issued a joint statement urging “… not to use antiviral drugs in animals so that the efficacy of these drugs can be preserved for treatment of influenza infections in humans” and strongly requested Member States to ban the use of antiviral drugs in animals (WHO 2005).  On March 22, 2006, the FDA published a final rule prohibiting the extra-label use of adamantine and neuraminidase inhibitor classes of antiviral drugs in chickens, turkeys, and ducks (Regulations.gov, and FDA 21 CFR 530.41)

Given these regulatory prohibitions and the global concerns for the potential for a world-wide human health crisis surrounding influenza, the NWRA Veterinary Committee STRONGLY recommends that wildlife rehabilitators NOT use these drugs in our wildlife patients and that veterinarians NOT prescribe these drugs for extra-label use in animals.

FDA 21 CFR 530.4. Extra-label Drug Use in Animals. Last updated April 2007. Available at: <http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=530.41>

Regulations.gov. May 2008. New Animal Drugs; Adamantane and Neuraminidase Inhibitor Anti-influenza Drugs; Extralabel Animal Drug Use; Order of Prohibition. Available at: <http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=FDA-2006-N-0487>

Singer, A. C., M. A. Nunn, E. A. Gould, and A. C. Johnson. 2007. Potential Risks Associated with the Proposed Widespread Use of Tamiflu. Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 115, Number 1.  

 

World Health Organization. 2005. Use of antiviral drugs in poultry, a threat to their effectiveness for the treatment of human avian influenza. Available at:

<http://www.who.int/foodsafety/micro/avian_antiviral/en/print.html>

 



—
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be
confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby
notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of
the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The
recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of
viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused
by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.


Tags: News World
Previous Post

Florida’s Wildlife: On the Frontline of Climate Change

Next Post

Court dismisses NSPCA appeal

BCR

BCR

Big Cat Rescue is Caring for Cats and Ending the Trade

Related Posts

News World

Enrichment Program @ BIG CAT RESCUE!

May 7, 2022
110
Zanesville Massacre 18 tigers 17 lions 3 cougars gunned down  Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients jeg empty
News World

Zanesville Massacre 18 tigers 17 lions 3 cougars gunned down

October 20, 2021
10.3k
Vanessa Hudgens Shame  Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients jeg empty
Cat Laws

Cub Petting Shame

September 12, 2021
6.1k
Snow Leopard  Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients jeg empty
News @ BCR

Save Snow Leopards

April 17, 2021
6.2k
Big Cat Rescue does bobcat rehab and release of native, Florida bobcats.  Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients jeg empty
Articles by BCR

GoFree

March 29, 2020
2.7k
Next Post

Court dismisses NSPCA appeal

Leave a Reply

  • Default Comments (0)
  • Facebook Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Help Feed Big Cats

One of the best ways to help is through general donations that can be used however it is most needed at the time.To make a general donation just click the Donate Now button below.  This is the best way to give as it has the lowest credit card processing fees and is immediate help for the cats.

Give to Big Cat Rescue

If you prefer to donate via Pay Pal, please use this link: Pay Pal

Recent Articles

  • Insitu2021 January 17, 2023
  • Smell my beans! Priya tiger at Big Cat Rescue. January 13, 2023
  • Want! Kekoa and Makani rehab bobcats at Big Cat Rescue. January 13, 2023

Recent Comments

  • Deb Quimby on Koda Lioness
  • heather elliott on Sapphire
  • Jason Jenkins on Tiger Facts
  • Claire Pritchett on Koda Lioness
  • Deb Quimby on Jinx

Save Big Cats

Donate to Big Cat Rescue

Sanctuary Cats

  • Jaguars
  • Leopards
  • Lions
  • Tigers
  • Bobcats
  • Canada Lynx
  • Cougars
  • Ocelots
  • Savannah Cats
  • Servals

More from Big Cats

  • Big Cat Rescue is Live 24/7 on Webcams
  • Rescue Missions
  • About Big Cat Rescue
  • Big Cat Rescue News
  • Reviews
  • Our Recent Work
  • Sanctuary FAQs
  • Big Cat TV

Insitu2021

January 17, 2023
Smell my beans! Priya tiger at Big Cat Rescue.  Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients jeg empty

Smell my beans! Priya tiger at Big Cat Rescue.

January 13, 2023
Want! Kekoa and Makani rehab bobcats at Big Cat Rescue.  Antiviral Drugs in Wildlife Patients jeg empty

Want! Kekoa and Makani rehab bobcats at Big Cat Rescue.

January 13, 2023

© Copyright 2023 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • About BCR
  • Videos
  • Big Cat Facts
  • Cub Facts
  • Our Cat Stories
  • Sanctuary Cats
  • Shop and Save Cats
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Abuse Issues
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2023 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist