EQUINE | Equine Disease Update
all parasite species present in a horse. Most recently, we
have developed an automated smartphone-based fecal
egg-counting system, which allows easier, quicker, and
more precise fecal egg counts to be determined. Taking
these diagnostic approaches collectively, the goal is to
enable veterinarians and their equine clients to make
more informed decisions about parasite control. The
road to effective and sustainable parasite control is ev-
idence-based, with veterinarians playing a central role.
Contact: Martin K. Nielsen, DVM, PhD, DipEVPC mar-
[email protected] (859) 218-1103 Maxwell H. Gluck
Equine Research Center University of Kentucky Lexing-
ton, KY.
INTERNATIONAL
Fourth Quarter 2016
The International Collating Centre, Newmarket, United
Kingdom, and other sources reported the following dis-
ease outbreaks.
Isolated cases of African horse sickness were recorded in
South Africa, initially in Gauteng Province (October) and
subsequently in the North West Province (December),
both recognized as endemic areas for the disease.
Equine influenza was reported by the UK and the USA.
The UK confirmed three outbreaks of the disease, two
involving isolated cases in fivemonth- old foals and the
third in a group of several unvaccinated horses. Out-
breaks of influenza were recorded in four states in the
USA, where the disease is considered endemic.
France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and the USA re-
ported multiple outbreaks of strangles during the pe-
riod under review. The number of confirmed outbreaks
included 12 in France, five in Germany, an estimated
seven in Ireland, two in Switzerland, and 37 in the USA,
where the disease is endemic. Many of the outbreaks in-
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volved single cases.
Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) related diseases were re-
ported by France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the USA.
Respiratory disease was confirmed in France (four out-
breaks), the UK (six cases on a premises on which several
cases of neurologic disease also occurred), and the USA
(widespread in various states).
Cases of EHV-1 abortion were diagnosed in France (sin-
gle cases on two premises), Germany (one case), Japan
(single cases on several premises, involving Thorough-
bred or non-Thoroughbred mares), and the UK (single
cases on two premises). EHV-1 related neurologic dis-
ease (myeloencephalopathy) was recorded in France
(two outbreaks, one of which involved nine cases out of
a group of 60 horses), Switzerland (a single case), the UK
(two outbreaks, one involving an initial case and subse-
quently several additional cases), and the USA (two out-
breaks, with one involving two cases on a high desert
ranch and the other, six cases at an equestrian center).
Equine herpesvirus 4 respiratory disease was recorded
in France (15 outbreaks, the majority represented by
single cases of infection) and Switzerland (one outbreak
involving four horses). The USA reported activity with
equine herpesvirus 2 and/or 5 in a number of states,
some associated with evidence of respiratory disease.
Equine infectious anemia was confirmed in Canada (sin-
gle case in Saskatchewan), and the USA (single case in
Utah). France and Switzerland reported cases of equine
piroplasmosis. Piroplasmosis was considered endemic
in France; Switzerland recorded only an isolated case of
the disease.
A single case of equine coital exanthema (equine her-
pesvirus 3) was diagnosed in Kentucky, USA. Several
cases of nocardioform placentitis were recorded in
Kentucky, USA. The USA reported outbreaks/individual
• Equine Health Update •