|
|
Discussion on EPM transferable to Humans?
|
| Author |
Message |
Member:
Rob10549
|
Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2005 - 2:14 pm:
Hi Doc,
I was wondering if humans can catch EPM? I had never thought about it before but the other day I was wiping flies off my horse and out of his ears and got some of his blood on my hands. Is the disease transmitted by blood? I assume that since some of these horses go for years without any symptoms and owners are just going about there business, not worrying about these kinds of things, that we'd expect to see alot of people coming down with the disease if it were contagious. Right? Appreciate your thoughts. Robin
|
Member:
Annes
|
Posted on Wednesday, Jun 1, 2005 - 6:13 pm:
When my horse had EPM about 3 years ago, the vet told me it was not contagious to humans or other horses/animals. I did not use any precaution in giving him injections or medicines by mouth. He recovered 100% and no other horses in my barn have gotten EPM. Hope this helps.
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Thursday, Jun 2, 2005 - 8:59 am:
Hello Robin,
We cover how EPM is transmitted and how contagious horses are in the article on EPM.
DrO
|
Member:
Rob10549
|
Posted on Thursday, Jun 2, 2005 - 9:06 pm:
The article says nothing about humans catching the disease.
Also, Ann, can you tell me what medication you used? I was planning on starting my horse on Navigator b/c my horse relapsed and EPM specialists at Ohio State suggested I try the drug but today my vet, who ordered me Navigator, even though he does not like it, scared me, telling me that the horses he did treat with it, during a drug trial, got extremely sick and one died. Now I am afraid to start this expensive drug. Any info would be much appreciated. R
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Friday, Jun 3, 2005 - 8:16 am:
I am sorry Robin, I took your several questions to "are horses an EPM danger to humans" and this is handled in detail in the article, including your side questions about mode of transmission and whether it appears in the blood. Humans do contract some types of protozoal encephalitis with Toxoplasmosis being the most often reported. I am uncertain if horses can contract this particular organism through other sources (again see the life cycle of this disease in the article) but have never seen any case reports.
The toxicity of Navigator is covered in the article.
DrO
|
Member:
Annes
|
Posted on Friday, Jun 3, 2005 - 10:55 am:
Robin,
I kept all the vet's invoices with the medications Monte received but I will have to look it up at home tonight. I know the vet gave him a shot daily for a while and then had me give the shot several times. Also, I crushed lots of white tablets 2X a day. I mixed the crushed tablets with water, aspirated into a syringe and then shot the mixture down his throat while holding his head up. That was the only way I could be sure he got all of the medicine and I did this for 3 months. I am guessing that in the years since Monte had EPM, that "new and improved" medicines are preferred by vets now... but I will be happy to post and let you know what Monte was on.
|
Member:
Annes
|
Posted on Friday, Jun 3, 2005 - 9:16 pm:
Robin, I found the names of the drugs Monte was given for EPM. This was Oct 1999 and it was a 90 day treatment.
SMZ TMP 960 - 10 tablets/twice a day syringed into mouth
Daraprim 25mg tablets - I can't tell from the notes how many were given
Good luck with the method of treatment you decide to take with your horse. It is very scary - I will be thinking of you and praying everything turns out well.
|
|
|
