Equine Disease Quarterly | EQUINE
Horses should remain isolated until they’re clinically
healthy and no longer shedding virus. As respiratory
shedding of the influenza virus can persist for 7-10 days
postinfection in a naïve animal, horses should remain
isolated for a minimum of 14 days.
Appropriate use of vaccination and implementing
biosecurity measures are critical to protecting the
equine industry from highly contagious equine
influenza virus.
CONTACT:
Katie Flynn, BVMS
[email protected]
(916) 900-5039
California Department of Food and Agriculture, Animal
Health Branch
Sacramento, CA
Fourth Quarter 2018
The International Collating Centre, Newmarket, United
Kingdom, and other sources reported the following
equine disease outbreaks.
The Republic of South Africa (RSA) reported isolated
cases of African horse sickness in known infected
areas that included the provinces of the Eastern Cape,
Gauteng, and KwaZulu-Natal. Occurrence of the
disease is as expected for this time of year.
Equine influenza was recorded in Ecuador (one
outbreak), France (three outbreaks), and the UK which
considers the disease to be endemic. The disease is
also endemic in the USA, being confirmed in seven
states, with some outbreaks characterized by multiple
cases of the disease.
Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland,
the UK, and the USA reported multiple outbreaks
of strangles. The number of confirmed outbreaks/
cases included two in Canada, 28 in France, four in
Germany, five in Ireland and four in Switzerland. The
disease was reported to be endemic in the UK and in
the USA, where 34 outbreaks were confirmed in 18
states involving at least 68 affected horses.
Equine herpesvirus 1 related diseases were recorded
by France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the RSA, the UK,
and the USA. Febrile illness was reported by the RSA
and the USA. Respiratory disease was confirmed in
France (eight outbreaks), Germany (one outbreak),
the RSA (one outbreak), and the UK (one outbreak).
Abortion due to EHV-1 was recorded in France (two
cases), Germany (single cases on two premises),
Ireland (single cases on four premises), Japan (two
cases on separate premises), and the USA (five cases).
The RSA, UK, and USA reported outbreaks of EHV-
1 myeloencephalopathy. The RSA and the UK each
reported a single case of the disease, whereas the USA
confirmed four cases involving premises in Arizona
and California.
Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) respiratory disease was
diagnosed in France (26 outbreaks), Germany (one
outbreak involving four cases of the disease), the UK
(seven outbreaks), and the USA (one case). One case
of EHV-4 abortion was confirmed in the USA. Fourth
Quarter 2018
Multiple cases of equine herpesvirus 2 and/or 5
infection were reported by the USA, some associated
with evidence of respiratory disease.
France recorded one case of subclinical equine arteritis
virus infection and two cases of abortion caused by
the virus. Germany confirmed the carrier state in one
stallion.
Equine infectious anemia was diagnosed in Canada
• Volume 21 Issue 2 | May 2019 •
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