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Animal Health Trust |
INTERIM REPORT – January 2011 #2 (21.01.11)
FRANCE
EHV-1 Respiratory and paralytic disease
Following the EHV-1 outbreaks of respiratory and neurological disease reported on 21st December in Val d’Oise, France, the situation according to the Réseau d’Epidémio-Surveillance en Pathologie Equine (RESPE) as of 13th January 2011 is as follows:
There are four outbreaks ongoing at the moment in this area. With regards to the first outbreak, no further cases have been reported after the 6th January 2011. A mare which had been confirmed positive to EHV-1 by PCR with no clinical signs was presented recumbent and is recovering at the moment. The original case, a mare that was recumbent at the beginning of this outbreak, was hospitalised due to severe ataxia of the hindlegs, recumbency, myositis of the left hindleg and difficulty in urinating. After three days there was a significant improvement in the mare’s condition, she is no longer recumbent and is able to urinate normally. EHV-1 infection has been confirmed by PCR in 20 horses.
In the second and third outbreaks, no further cases have been reported although movement restrictions are still in place. EHV-1 infection was confirmed by PCR only in one horse in the second outbreak.
In the fourth outbreak reported in this area EHV-1 infection was confirmed by PCR in two horses that were euthanased because of severe neurological signs. Subsequently, five other horses with pyrexia were sampled and tested positive to EHV-1 by PCR. Of these, one horse was found recumbent but is now improving and another pony that had not been sampled presented with ataxia and pyrexia. An epidemiological link between this outbreak and the previous three outbreaks has been suggested; a horse was moved from the yard affected in the first outbreak to the yard affected in the fourth outbreak. EHV-1 infection had been confirmed in this horse prior to being moved.
In order to prevent the spread of EHV-1 infection in this area, control measures such as the isolation of affected horses, movement restrictions, disinfection, quarantine of horses entering a new herd and screening horses for EHV-1 are strongly encouraged.
As of 18th January 2011 RESPE has reported a case of EHV-1 respiratory disease in a seven year-old French saddlebred horse in Val d’Oise. EHV-1 infection was confirmed by PCR and the affected horse has been euthanased. This outbreak has not been linked to the EHV-1 outbreaks ongoing in the area.
On 24th December 2010 an outbreak of EHV-1 causing respiratory and neurological disease was reported by RESPE in Herault, France. Two horses from a total of 30 horses have been affected and EHV-1 infection has been confirmed in one of them. A filly in this yard was found dead with a severe haemolysis, but the cause of death has not been confirmed yet.
On 31st December 2010 an outbreak of EHV-1 infection causing neurological disease was reported by RESPE in Orne, France. As of 13th January 2011 seven horses have been reported as affected and EHV-1 infection has been confirmed in six of them by PCR on nasopharyngeal swab samples.
Equine Influenza Virus
On 24th December 2010 equine influenza (EI) was reported by RESPE in a 10 year-old Menorquin horse in Oise, France. The affected horse showed respiratory signs (coughing, nasal discharge and pyrexia); subsequently equine influenza virus was confirmed by PCR on a nasopharyngeal swab. There are 50 horses in total in the yard; no further cases have been reported.
As of 20th January 2011 RESPE has also reported EI in a four year-old French Trotter in Alpes-Maritimes, France. No further cases have been reported at the moment and an investigation is ongoing.
Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM)
As reported by RESPE following a report from the Ministère de l’Alimentation, de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche (France), CEM was confirmed in a Lipizzaner mare on 24th December 2010. No further cases have been reported.
ITALY
Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA)
As reported by RESPE on 20th January 2011 following a report from the Ministère de l’Alimentation, de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche (France), EIA has been reported in several regions in Italy (four outbreaks in Abruzzo, three outbreaks in Molise, two outbreaks in Umbria, two outbreaks in Lazio, and single outbreaks in Apulia, Basilicata and Emilia-Romagna respectively). The nature of these outbreaks (clinical or subclinical) has not been disclosed.
HUNGARY
Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA)
As reported by RESPE on 20th January 2011 following a report from the Ministère de l’Alimentation, de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche (France), EIA has been reported in Hadju-Bihar, Hungary. Following the screening of 700 horses under an epidemiological investigation for EIA, one horse tested positive and has subsequently been euthanased.
Regards
International Collating Centre