The American Quarter Horse Journal, October 28, 2009 – Equine piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease, was recently confirmed on a South Texas ranch located in Kleberg County. Additional testing is being conducted to determine the extent of infection. Horses on the ranch are quarantined to their premises, and a thorough disease investigation is underway. On October 27, the Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture issued an emergency order aimed to stop the spread of equine piroplasmosis.
Equine piroplasmosis can affect horses, donkeys, mules or zebras and cause clinical signs common to many diseases, including poor appetite and weight loss. Death losses can occur. Some infected equine animals may exhibit few or no signs of disease. Those animals that survive the acute phase of infection may continue to carry the parasite, which has been identified as Theileria equi (formerly known as Babesia equi), for long periods of time.
The Oklahoma emergency order is as follows:
PURPOSE: This Emergency Order is issued as an emergency measure for the specific and limited purpose of formulation and maintenance of an Equine Piroplasmosis eradication and control program pursuant to the following plan adopted and recommended by the State Veterinarian of Oklahoma and the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service:
- Equids originating from any premise under quarantine for Equine Piroplasmosis shall not enter Oklahoma.
- Equids originating from any part of Kleburg County or adjacent counties not under quarantine may enter Oklahoma so long as accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection prepared and signed by an accredited veterinarian within ten (10) days prior to entering Oklahoma and containing the following information:
-A negative Piroplasmosis cELISA test within fourteen (14) days of entry into Oklahoma and including an original copy of the test or NVSL accession number;
-A negative EIA test within the past twelve (12) months, including an original copy of the test;
-An Oklahoma entry permit number; and
-The following statement by the accredited veterinarian signing the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection, "I personally inspected these animals and they do not originate from an Equine Piroplasmosis quarantined area, do not display clinical signs of Equine Piroplasmosis, were inspected for ticks, including ear ticks, and were treated for ticks at the time of the inspection."
- The Certificate of Veterinary Inspection shall include all other information otherwise required on the document, including complete identification for each animal listed, complete name, address and telephone number of the consignor, consignee, and accredited veterinarian, the physical address of the equids located in Texas the physical address of the Oklahoma destination.
- National Veterinary Services Laboratory, Ames, Iowa, is the only approved laboratory for Equine Piroplasmosis testing. Samples received in the morning are set up at noon and read the following day. Results are mailed the third day. Request email verification to include complete identification and the accession number.
- Treatment for ticks shall include any topical pyretroids or equine labeled tick spot on product.
- Upon arriving at the destination in Oklahoma, equids shall be physically examined by an authorized agent of the Board prior to commingling with other equids.
For questions concerning the Oklahoma requirements, contact the Oklahoma State veterinarian at (405) 522-6131 or call the permit line at (405) 522-6141.
Canadian horse owners attending the World Show will also want to note the movement restrictions placed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Effective October 21, 2009, the United States Department of Agriculture will not endorse any export health certificates for equines to Canada from Texas, and equines being exported to Canada from other states must have additional certification that during the previous 21 days the animal has not been in the state of Texas. This restriction is in place until further notice. For more information, contact the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at 1-800-442-2342 or (613) 225-2342.
“Although equine piroplasmosis is not considered to be endemic in the U.S., cases have been detected on occasion,” said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas’ state veterinarian and head of the Texas Animal Health Commission, the state’s livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. “In June, equine piroplasmosis was detected in Missouri, with a related case found in Kansas. In 2008, the infection was detected in Florida. These cases have been closed.”
No vaccine exists for equine piroplasmosis, and treatment generally is not effective against this tick-borne infection. To avoid spread of the disease, it is important to eliminate contact with ticks and to prevent the transfer of blood from one equine animal to another.
AQHA will post information as it is received, but horse owners are strongly encouraged to contact their local animal health authorities for the latest information on their state.
