EQUINE | Equine Disease Update
EQUINE | Equine Disease Update
horses did not show signs of clini ¬ cal disease at the time of import .
In 81 percent ( 38 / 47 ) of the reported events , import regulations were not followed . Noncom ¬ pliance consisted of illegal movement ( six events ), non-adherence to the national regulations of the importing country ( six events ), and non-adherence to OIE disease specific standards ( 26 events ). For the other nine events , breakdown of the import procedures were presumably associated with laboratory testing ( three events ), management of post-arrival quarantine ( two events ), transporta ¬ tion ( one event ), and assessment of the situation
Highly contagious equine strangles is transmit ¬ ted by inhalation or ingestion of Streptococcus equi originating from discharges of the nose or abscess of an infected horse . Nasal shedding begins approximately 4-16 days after initial infection and in the country of origin ( one event ). Causes of two events could not be identified .
In 51 percent ( 24 / 47 ) of the reported events , the imported animal was responsible for transmis ¬ sion of a pathogen to the local population .
Disease transmission to the local population was influenced by the biosecurity practices implemented by the importing countries , which included isolation of new entrants , intensified health monitoring of the resident equine population to promptly detect emergence of disease , vaccination , and surveillance programs of the resident population .
International standards and import protocols regulating international horse movements are para-mount in mitigating the potential risk of disease associated with horse movements .
Continuous compliance with best biosecurity and health man-agement practices by importing countries provides an additional safeguard to mitigate residual risk of disease transmission to the local population from imported horses .
No disease event associated with live horses temporarily imported to compete at international equestrian events or races was identified . In an ef ¬ fort to further facilitate the safe , temporary import of dus specific class of horse , the OIE together with the Federation Equestre Internationale ( FEI ) and the International Federation of Horseracing Au ¬ thorities ( IFHA ) has developed the “ High Health , High Performance horses - ( HHP )” concept as well as international standards ( TAHC Chapter 4.16 ). The high health status of HHP horses is established through continual veterinary supervi ¬ sion and meeting harmonized health requirements combined with stringent health management practices and biosecurity procedures .
Contact : M . Dominguez , DVM , MPH , PhD m . dominguez < aoie . int + 33 1 1 44 15 18 54 World Organization for Animal Health ( OIE ) Paris , France continues for two to three weeks in most horses .
NATIONAL
Laboratory Diagnosis of Strangles
Highly contagious equine strangles is transmit ¬ ted by inhalation or ingestion of Streptococcus equi originating from discharges of the nose or abscess of an infected horse . Nasal shedding begins approximately 4-16 days after initial infection and continues for two to three weeks in most horses . However , survival of the organism in pus located in the guttural pouch may continue for months or years and be associated with periodic escape of the organism through the nasal passages . Persistent carrier animals may therefore serve as longterm sources of infection for naive , susceptible horses
20 • Equine Health Update •