This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Diseases of Horses » Cardiovascular, Blood, and Immune System » Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) and the Coggins Test »
  Discussion on Update from the Irish Dept of Agriculture
Author Message
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 - 8:31 am:

Imogen sends this along to us from Ireland concerning the recent outbreak of EIA:
DrO

Update - 3 October 2006
The Department has now confirmed twenty-five cases of Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA), the most recent on 29 September. The cases continue to be concentrated, with some exceptions, in the Meath/Kildare/Dublin area. All but three of the cases confirmed to date have been in thoroughbred horses.


Following the confirmation of the first case, a strict control regime was put in place to contain and eradicate the disease, involving restricting the movement of horses, surveillance and testing of horses under restriction.


The Department has now imposed movement restrictions on over 30 premises, including a number of which are contiguous to premises on which cases of EIA were confirmed. In excess of 1100 horses have been subjected to movement restriction, the majority of them on their home premises where they are isolated from contact with other horses on the premises.


Approximately 120 individual horse restrictions have now been removed following the satisfactory completion of the prescribed ninety-day restriction period and having tested negative on any occasion sampled. While it is anticipated that the ninety-day period will continue to be the normal period for which restrictions will remain in place, the Department will, in a small number of high-risk cases, extend that period and continue the surveillance programme before the restrictions are lifted. In no circumstances will the Department lift restrictions before the ninety-day restriction period has elapsed. Nonetheless, it is anticipated that the rate of derestriction will accelerate through this month and over the next number of months. To date no premises restriction has been lifted.


The Department is continuing to schedule tests for those horses placed under restriction, the frequency of which is determined by reference to a risk-assessment in each case. In respect of these tests, the Department is making a financial contribution to the costs of the veterinary practitioner taking the blood sample(s) and the Department is also meeting the cost of the analysis of the sample(s) by the Irish Equine Centre.


In addition, the Department has decided to extend the surveillance programme to an identified group of some 3000 horses, principally in the Co Meath area. The owners of such horses are being written to and in each case laboratory costs associated with analysis will be met by the Department. A specific team of veterinary inspectors from the Department is being assembled and will be tasked to sample the horses included in the programme. This programme may be extended in due course. Any horse owner in the area (or elsewhere) whose horse shows any clinical symptoms suggestive of EIA should immediately contact their private veterinary practitioner and have arrangements made to have the horse sampled and the sample analysed for the disease.


Of the twenty-five cases confirmed to date, twenty can be associated to the initial outbreaks, including those in the equine hospital in June. The Department is now satisfied, based on the significant epidemiological data gathered to date, that there are veterinary linkages in at least four of the remaining cases. Epidemiological investigation of the most recently confirmed case is continuing.


In view of this apparent veterinary association in some of the cases, the Department is reiterating the advice, consistently given over the past three months, that veterinary practitioners should, at all times, observe the highest standards of hygiene and should ensure that, in all circumstances, contaminated veterinary instruments are either appropriately disposed of or thoroughly sterilised (autoclaved) before reuse. The Department is making arrangements to meet the profession to re-emphasise this advice.


The Irish Equine Centre (IEC) has, since mid-June, analysed in excess of 10,000 samples, many of which were required for entry to the recent sales, and to date only the twenty-five confirmed cases have been positive. The Department wishes to express its ongoing gratitude for the expeditious and professional manner in which the IEC has dealt with this significantly increased workload. The Department's Central Veterinary Research Laboratory is also undertaking serological testing.


The Department is continuing to progress its investigation into the circumstances in which the disease was first introduced into the country. This investigation is a comprehensive one and the Department will, in the event of sufficient evidence being established, endeavour to pursue a prosecution. Because of the nature of the investigation, the Department is not in a position to comment any further on its progress.


The Department is, as it has from the outset, treating this outbreak very seriously and is continuing to devote such resources as are considered necessary to contain and eradicate the disease. The Department appreciates the value and prestige of the Irish bloodstock industry and is continuing to work close with the various elements of the industry, including the breeding, racing and sales sectors. The Department is committed to ensuring that it communicates comprehensively and frequently with both the thoroughbred and non-thoroughbred sectors and the wider industry, including the veterinary profession, and appreciates the very high level of co-operation and assistance provided by all those involved in the Irish equine industry.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 - 1:23 pm:

Thanks for posting that, Dr O - the reason I sent it by email was that I wasn't sure it was appropriate for HA as it's a bit long and official but anyway it's the up to date information.

The big practical question everyone has here at the moment is whether having your horse clipped by someone who clips other horses is likely to be a risk since it's that time of year. Since we are about 120 miles from Co. Meath I think the answer is probably "no" unless the person doing the clipping has been previously been clipping recently moved TBs from that area. Only 2 of the horses testing positive to date are not TBs, the outbreak is centred in the bloodstock industry.

Does anyone know what would be a suitable regime to sterilise clipping equipment might be since it can't go in an autoclave (cos most of the casing is plastic)... ? take the blades out and autoclave those? Use new blades?

Thanks for any advice.

Imogen
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 - 10:59 pm:

I would wipe the clippers down with Lysol or some other germ killing solution, and soak the blades in either betadine or that pink liquid sterilizing solution doctors use; can't think of what it's called, but am sure Dr. O knows, or some of the nurses on this board will know. After soaking, you'll have to re-oil the blades.
Just with my own horses, I wipe the blades off with alcohol, but I think in this situation I'd want something stronger.

I think an autoclave will dull the blades.
Member:
Corinne

Posted on Thursday, Oct 26, 2006 - 11:29 pm:

Did I hear someone calling for a nurse? LOL

Having worked in the Micro-Biology lab in college as the equipment cleaner I don't think the Autoclave will hurt the blades but who has one of those on hand? Not sure how long EIA would live on blades or clippers but I presume it will be killed by any standard sterilizing agent, can't think of the name of the pink stuff as I have seen many many colors in liquid solutions.

Good Question for Dr. O.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 7:04 am:

Actually, this is not a question well studied, at least that I can find. As the article details the virus is sensitive to the environment and is not believed to persist very long outside the horse so with lack of actual experimental work I would assume that in a clean environment (no surrounding equine hair or tissue) the virus is sensitive to cleaning and sanitizers. A thorough cleaning of the clipper blades with surgical instrument milk (a sanitizer which is aldehyde with lubricants and metal protectors added) and then running them in a clean solution of milk and then allow them to thoroughly dry then lubricrate should do it without damaging the blades but I cannot verify this as fact anywhere. Thorough cleaning in antiseptic soap and water, a chlorhexidine rinse, and a thorough drying then lube may do it also the sanitizing is not as strong and the instrument milk should be easier on the blades.

Of course the number one prevention is only working on horses with a recent negative EIA test and that as only been in contact with horses that also have a negative EIA test.
DrO
Member:
Canderso

Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 2:29 pm:

How is EIA transmitted? I always thought it included biting insects.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 5:58 pm:

Biting insects are definitely in the frame; there is also a leaflet being circulated in Ireland from the Irish Equine Centre which implies that some of the spread in Ireland occurred via veterinary instruments and/or grooming equipment being used on more than one horse within a yard, although it isn't that specific.

I was in my local small animal vet clinic this morning picking up some sedalin for clipping (they're closer than the horse vets) and the locum Aussie vet told me she had just returned from a briefing for vets on the importants of serological hygiene with horses at the moment...

She didn't have anything very useful to say about clippers unfortunately. That pink stuff is called hibiscrub, I think it's been banned recently here or at least reformulated. Thanks Dr O and Corinne for your suggestions, I will call the girl that does the clipping and suggest she consults her vet on what would be suitable...

All the best

Imogen
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Friday, Oct 27, 2006 - 6:40 pm:

We talk about transmission in great detail in the article associated with this forum.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC