A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 23 Oct 2009
Source: Horse Talk [edited]
Horses test positive for equine piroplasmosis
---------------------------------------------
A total of 32 quarter horses at a property in Kleberg, Texas, have
tested positive for the tick-borne protozoal disease, equine
piroplasmosis. The property is under quarantine as officials from the
United States Department of Agriculture and the Texas Animal Health
Commission work to trace the source of the infection.
Equine piroplasmosis is caused by a parasite, _Theileria equi_, which
can transmitted from horse to horse by certain kinds of ticks. It can
also be transferred through needles.
Agriculture department veterinarian Dr John Clifford, in reporting
the outbreak to the World Organisation for Animal Health this week,
said a total of 32 cases had been confirmed at the property in
Kleberg County. Dr Clifford said a 7-year-old quarter horse was taken
to a local veterinary hospital on 2 Oct 2009.
"A blood-borne pathogen was subsequently suspected and the horse was
placed in isolation and initial diagnostic samples taken."
The positive test for equine piroplasmosis was returned on 12 Oct
2009. The following day, a quarantine was imposed and 31 other horses
linked to the 1st horse were tested. Ticks were also collected from 5
horses to be tested for the disease and to have the species
identified, as only certain kinds of ticks are known to be able to
carry the infective agent. Those tests came back positive on Monday
[19 Oct 2009].
A further 96 horses have been tested and resulted are awaited, Dr
Clifford said.
Meanwhile, Canadian authorities have closed the country's border to
horses from Texas while the outbreak is resolved. Horses from any
other US state must have additional certification that they have not
been in Texas in the previous 21 days.
In June [2009], equine piroplasmosis was detected in Missouri, with a
related case found in Kansas. In 2008, the infection was detected in
Florida -- which was then the 1st occurrence of the disease [in
Florida] in the USA in 20 years. These cases have been resolved.
Equine piroplasmosis can affect horses, donkeys, mules or zebras and
cause clinical signs common to many diseases, including poor appetite
and weight loss. Deaths can occur.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[Readers are encouraged to see ProMED-mail post 20091021.3617 for
information about the disease.
This could represent a substantial expansion of the disease. Although
the disease has been found several times in the US, it is still
regarded as a disease foreign to the US. - Mod.TG]
[The interactive HealthMap/ProMED map for Texas is available at:
[see also:
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (06): (TX) OIE 20091022.3631
Equine piroplasmosis - USA (05): (TX) 20091021.3617]
....................tg/ejp/mpp
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