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  Discussion on Equine Piroplasmosis Outbreak in FL
Author Message
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Sunday, Aug 17, 2008 - 1:13 pm:

From the Orlando Sentinel today regarding equine piroplasmosis: The U.S. had been thought to be clear of this illness since 1988, but "Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson said Friday that tests confirmed the presence of equine piroplasmosis in a 7-year-old Manatee County gelding that had been ill for three weeks. The parasitic blood disorder causes fever, swelling, and often death. The State Veterinarian's Office is investigating the source of the disease and whether it has spread." (The horse has been euthanized).
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 - 7:41 am:

Thanks for the prompt reporting Vicki. Since your report on this there have been additional horses found positive and this is a real growing problem for the Florida equine community that could have national reprocussions. Here is a reverse chronological explanation of what has happened so far and recommendations from the State of Fl.

Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) Update

September 3, 2008
The EP investigation is continuing and includes 17 quarantined premises with over 130 animals tested. Of the 17 quarantined premises, 3 have had a total of 10 horses that have tested positive for EP. The 3 positive premises have been directly linked via movement of one or more of the positive horses. The investigation will likely result in additional premises being placed under quarantine as horses that have had contact with a positive horse are being traced to their current location and tested. Several of the currently quarantined premises are expected to be released soon as the investigation has determined that no exposure to a positive horse had occurred, no horses have tested positive on the premises, and no ticks capable of spreading the disease have been found. Based on the current evidence there is no indication that ticks have played a role in the spread of the disease. To ensure that there are no infected ticks and no tick species likely to transmit the disease in Florida, tick surveillance is being conducted in association with the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Diseases Study, who has extensive experience in environmental tick collection.

August 29, 2008
The EP investigation has revealed two additional test positive horses on a third premises located in Polk County. The two additional cases bring the total number of test positive horses to eight, on three separate premises. All of the positive horses have been closely linked to the initial positive premise, in Manatee County. The investigation has resulted in the quarantine of twelve premises and testing of more than 100 horses. The investigation is continuing and additional quarantines and testing are likely to occur. There has been no evidence of natural transmission of the organism by ticks. Tick surveillance is continuing in an effort to ensure that there are no infected ticks and no tick species likely to transmit the disease in Florida.


August 28, 2008
The EP investigation is continuing with additional premises quarantined and horses tested. During the investigation the State Veterinarian’s Office has quarantined 11 premises and tested over 90 horses for EP. Only 2 premises have had horses test positive for the disease. One of the premises, in Manatee County, where the first clinical horse originated, had 4 barn mates test positive for the disease. The only other quarantined premises, located in Desoto County, had one horse test positive which had a direct link to the Manatee County premises. Additional premises are being investigated as information becomes available and further testing of horses will occur should there be any evidence of contact that could spread the EP organism. Because the organism causing EP is only spread via specific ticks or contaminated needles, tick trapping and surveillance is continuing as well. Currently there have been no ticks found which are thought to have the ability to spread the disease.


August 25, 2008
Several adjacent and contact premises, linked to the initial positive premises in Manatee County, have been investigated. Of the 30 additional horses tested late last week only one horse from a contact premises tested positive for EP. No additional ticks have been discovered on any of the horses tested. State officials are working with the USDA to continue the investigation. Work is being carried out to identify additional horses or premises that may have been in contact with or associated with a positive horse or premises. In addition, representatives of the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Diseases Study are assisting with tick surveillance on affected premises.


August 21, 2008
The Florida State Veterinarian’s Office is continuing to investigate the Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) case in Manatee County. While tropical storm Faye delayed investigation efforts earlier in the week additional samples and tick inspections were performed yesterday. Further horse testing and tick surveillance will continue over the weekend. Currently the only premises with evidence of EP is the one index premise in Manatee County. There have been no additional clinical cases reported at this time. While no states have restricted movement of Florida horses, Canada has advised the United States Department of Agriculture they will not accept horses originating from Manatee County, effective immediately. This ban will stay in effect until further notice.


August 18, 2008
Further testing on samples from horses on the index premises in Manatee County, have indicated that four additional horses on the premises are infected with the organism that causes Equine Piroplasmosis (EP). The four positive horses were stabled in the barn with the initial clinical horse. All other horses on the premises, which are managed separately from the horses in the barn, were negative on testing. In addition, 20 ticks found at the premises were identified as the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum), which has not been shown to transmit the disease between horses. The preliminary investigation indicates that the transmission on the index premises may have been caused by use of common needles between horses and not spread naturally by a tick vector. The Department is continuing its investigation including additional horse and tick surveillance of the area. As a precaution, 3 adjacent premises and 1 contact premises have been placed under quarantine pending further sample collection and testing.


August 15, 2008
Department Press Release 08-15-2008 Terence McElroy (850) 488-3022 mcelrot@doacs.state.fl.us Bronson Announces Detection Of Horse Disease TALLAHASSEE –Florida Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Charles H. Bronson announced today that a Manatee County horse has been diagnosed with Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) - an animal disease that the U.S. has been considered free of since 1988. Blood and tissue testing of a seven-year-old gelding that had been euthanized after a threeweek illness confirmed the presence of the disease in the animal. State officials immediately quarantined the premises in which the horse resided, as well as two adjacent properties containing horses pending a determination of their status. An ongoing investigation is being conducted by the State Veterinarian’s Office to determine the source of the disease and whether it has spread beyond the immediate area where the infected animal was housed. EP Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is a blood-borne parasitic disease primarily transmitted to horses by ticks or contaminated needles. The disease was eradicated from Florida in the 1980’s, and the tick species believed to transmit EP in other countries have not been identified in Florida in many years. This disease is not directly contagious from one horse to another but requires direct blood transfer. Human infection with equine piroplasmosis is extremely rare. Acutely affected horses can have depression, fever, anemia (decreased red blood cells) jaundiced (yellow) mucous membranes and low platelet counts. EP can also cause horses to have roughened hair coats, constipation, and colic. In its milder form, the disease causes horses to appear weak and show lack of appetite. Some horses become chronic carriers of the disease.


ADVICE TO VETS AND HORSEOWNERS
Veterinarians, horse owners, and others in the equine industry in Florida are asked to monitor their horses carefully and contact their veterinarian if they suspect this disease. Because it is a disease that the U.S. has been free of for two decades, suspected cases must be reported to the Office of the State Veterinarian by law. With the exception of the quarantined premises, there are no EP movement restrictions on horses within Florida or between Florida and other states. Horses entering Florida from other countries with Equine Piroplasmosis will continue to be tested prior to and following entry according to the current rule.

WHAT HORSEOWNERS SHOULD DO
1. Monitor your horse for the presence of ticks. Use commercially available topical products labeled for ticks if your horse is in an area where tick infestation is a problem. Most of these products are synthetic pyrethrins. Include an avermectin product in your deworming program to provide systemic treatment for ticks. Ask your veterinarian if you are unsure.

2. If you find large numbers of ticks or suspect piroplasmosis, please contact your veterinarian.

3. Do not share needles between animals during the administration of any medication or vaccinations. EP and other diseases can be spread by the introduction of blood cells from an infected animal into an uninfected animal during routine administration of injectable medications.

4. Continue your normal equine activities. Additional updates and information will be posted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services, Division of Animal Industry web site at: https://www.doacs.state.fl.us/ai/.
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Friday, Sep 5, 2008 - 3:42 pm:

Thanks for this up-date, Dr. O. My Vet had told me that this problem had grown but I had no idea so many were positive with direct blood transfer as how it is spread. If they are not finding infected ticks, do you think that this is being transmitted via biting flies or mosquitoes? Is there a chance that it is being spread by saliva or other bodily fluids?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 - 8:44 am:

When you say is there a chance? Most things are possible if you are willing to settle for very long odds but from what we know, saliva or "other bodily fluids" than blood or serum seem unlikely and not finding a few infected ticks may be like finding a needle in a haystack.
DrO
Member:
vickiann

Posted on Saturday, Sep 6, 2008 - 12:41 pm:

Thanks, Dr. O, For pointing out the importance and significance of this illness with regard to the equine population and industry. Having now realized the seriousness, I am especially relieved that my Lance's test for Piroplasmosis came back negative this morning with teters supposedly good enough to imply that re-testing will not be needed.
Member:
canderso

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 29, 2008 - 5:08 pm:

More developments on this...

Ottawa, ON—The Breeds & Industry Division of Equine Canada would like to inform all stakeholders of the Canadian horse industry that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has imposed import restrictions on horses from Florida entering Canada due to a 2008 outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in the state of Florida.

Effective immediately the following conditions for horses from Florida for all end-uses, other than Canadian horses returning to Canada, will require an import permit. A veterinarian must inspect the horse(s) within 15 days preceding the date of importation.

The horse(s) must be certified for equine piroplasmosis as follows

o the horse(s) have not been on a premises where equine piroplasmosis (clinical or serology) has occurred during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation to Canada, nor has this disease occurred on any adjoining premises during the same period of time, and

o they must have tested negative using a cELISA test or, where applicable, an alternate test acceptable to CFIA for equine piroplasmosis, during the fifteen (15) days prior to the date of importation into Canada.

For horses for all end-uses from states other than Florida, the following requirements will apply

o during the previous twenty-one (21) days, the animal(s) in this shipment has/have not been in the state of Florida.

All the above-mentioned conditions, except for the import permit, will be certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDF).

In order to apply for an import permit, Canadian importers will have to contact one of the following CFIA area offices:

For the Atlantics
Dr. Allan McLean
Animal Health Staff Veterinarian
Atlantic Area
Telephone: (506) 851-7871
Fax: (506) 851-3700
Internet: mcleanaw@inspection.gc.ca

For Québec
Dr. Alain Lajoie
Program Specialist— Importation
Program Network—Quebec
Telephone: (514) 283-3815 (4210)
Fax: (514) 283-6214
Internet: lajoiea@inspection.gc.ca

For Ontario
Dr. Susan Wray
Program Specialist—Import
Program Network—Ontario
Telephone: (519) 826-2810
Fax: (519) 837-9771
Internet: wrays@inspection.gc.ca

For the West
Dr Gary Kruger
Veterinary Program Specialist
Program Network—West
Telephone: (403) 292-5825
Fax: (403) 292-6629
Internet: krugerg@inspection.gc.ca

Current import requirements for horses entering Canada may be found using the CFIA Automated Import Reference System (AIRS) at https://airs-sari.inspection.gc.ca. To determine specific import requirements for each horse, specific parameters that refer to each horse's circumstances will need to be entered and customized import requirements will be provided.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Dec 19, 2008 - 10:09 am:

To follow up on this I attended a seminar on the outbreak and found some interesting additional information:
  • So far a total of 25 barns were quarantined of which only 3 still remain so.
  • 20 horses have died or were euthanized.
  • The way it is believed to have come into the country is through contaminated needles used by trainers racing horses. THe source of the contamination was Mexico. I kind of get the picture theses were non-sanctioned local racing events but if anyone has further information on this please let us know.

DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Friday, Dec 19, 2008 - 11:12 am:

Dr. O, does this mean that through the stupidity of a few people this desease is in our country again now?
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 - 9:25 am:

At this point everyone is patting each other on the back and feel that very early identification along with a aggressive search and quarantine regimen has contained this problem and prevented further spread. We will have to wait and see if this is indeed the case but I do agree this has been handled very well.
DrO
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 - 11:04 am:

I'll agree it's been handled well; I just hope it been stopped before it's been able to spread! We have enough diseases without importing new ones.
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