Mares can transmit the virus to foals in utero, and, less likely, transmission can occur via milk or semen. There is no treatment for EIA. Because infected animals become lifelong carriers they must be permanently isolated and quarantined or euthanized. Reducing exposure to biting flies through management practices may reduce the spread of infection.
To prevent iatrogenic spread, never reuse needles, syringes or IV sets, use only new, clean needles with injectable medicines and use only licensed and approved blood products.
Blood transfusions should be performed only by licensed veterinarians using donor horses tested negative for EIA and other blood-borne infections like equine piroplasmosis.
Surveillance and testing are the best methods of prevention. USDA recommends testing every equid annually. Annual total number of equine cases of EIA and number of affected premises in each State, - Error: Javascript is disabled in this browser. There is no vaccine or treatment for the disease, and it is often difficult to differentiate EIA from other fever-producing diseases, including anthrax, influenza, and equine encephalitis.
The most commonly diagnosed form of the disease is the chronic form, in which the individual has repeated fever episodes and develops other clinical signs including dependent edema swelling , weight loss, and severe anemia. EIA also has an inapparent form; affected horses might only show a slight fever for a day or be totally without clinical signs of the infection. More recently, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays ELISA tests reduced the time for a lab result from at least 24 hours to less than one hour.
These serologic blood tests can confirm the diagnosis of EIA. Accurate tests allow us to identify and remove positive reactors from herds and stop the spread of EIA among tested populations. Categories of horses that require testing may include:.
As there is no known treatment for EIA and infected horses become lifelong carriers posing a risk to other horses, any horse confirmed positive for EIA must be quarantined and isolated yards away from all other horses. If appropriate isolation is not available, the owner may opt for humane euthanasia. Although the internationally accepted serologic test is the agar gel immunodiffusion or Coggins test, there is increasing acceptance of a variety of ELISA tests, either competitive or synthetic antigen-based, because they can provide rapid results.
When used in combination, ELISA and agar gel immunodiffusion tests provide the highest level of sensitivity combined with specificity. The Western blot is a supplemental test that can be resorted to in cases of conflicting results with other diagnostic tests. A problem with available serologic tests is that they can give negative results when testing sera collected within the first 10—14 days of infection. Notwithstanding their sensitivity, they may not detect virus in carrier horses with very low viral loads.
Although the animal inoculation test is highly sensitive for detection of EIA virus, for logistic and economic reasons, it is no longer in vogue as a means of diagnosis of EIA. There is no antiviral treatment or cure for equine infectious anemia. Because confirmed cases of the disease are lifelong carriers of the virus, they are usually euthanized. The alternative to euthanasia is permanent isolation and quarantine of the infected animal at a distance of at least yards from all other equids on a premises.
Advocating supportive care under such circumstances is irrelevant. No safe and effective vaccine is available for equine infectious anemia.
Without the benefit of prophylactic vaccination, it is recommended that horse owners implement an EIA control plan for their premises. An integral part of such a program should be annual testing of all horses. More frequent testing may be indicated in areas that previously experienced a high incidence of EIA. All equines introduced to a herd should have a negative EIA test before arrival or be isolated while tests are pending.
Horses competing in shows or performance events should be accompanied by proof that they have been tested for EIA within a specific period of time. Vector control practices should be a part of any EIA prevention and control program. These should include routine application of insecticides and repellants as well as the implementation of insect control measures.
Any control program for EIA must emphasize awareness of how readily the causal virus can be transmitted indirectly from an infected individual to other equids on a premises through the re-use of contaminated needles, syringes, surgical or dental instruments, or other equipment. Strict observance of the principles of good hygiene and disinfection is essential if iatrogenic transmission of EIA is to be prevented.
Infected horses become lifelong carriers and pose a risk of infection to other horses. Management options for an EIA-positive horse are euthanasia or lifetime quarantine, with permanent isolation at least yards away from noninfected horses. Disinfect dental, tattoo, surgical equipment, lip chains, and bits thoroughly between horses. Remove all debris and blood with soap and water before disinfection.
Require proof of a recent negative EIA test upon introduction of a horse onto a premises for the first time. Practice good fly control by regular mucking out of stalls, proper disposal of manure away from horse stabling areas, and using fly sprays or natural predators to minimize fly presence. It is not known to be transmissible to humans. The principal mode of natural transmission of EIA is on the mouth-parts of blood-feeding insects, especially horse flies and deer flies.
Prevention and control of EIA is based on identification and euthanasia or lifelong isolation of infected equids, avoidance of iatrogenic transmission of the virus, and implementation of vector control practices. Also see pet health content on equine infectious anemia in horses Equine Infectious Anemia Equine infectious anemia is a bloodborne infection that affects horses and other equids.
It is caused by a virus. In many infected animals, the signs of illness are minimal; however, equine From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world.
The result is anemia and organ-damaging inflammation. The clinical symptoms of EIA are variable and include fever, anorexia, depression, swelling of the underside of the belly and legs, muscle weakness and wasting, jaundice of mucous membranes and infertility. EIA can leave a horse vulnerable to other potentially fatal diseases. Under the current program, horse owners voluntarily have their animals tested for the disease.
This means that all suspected cases must be reported to the CFIA. At this time, there is no treatment or cure for a horse that has contracted EIA. There is also no vaccine available to protect a horse from the EIA virus. Equine Infectious Anemia EIA is a blood-borne disease transmitted mainly through the natural feeding of large biting insects, principally horseflies and deerflies.
Transmission can also occur through the re-use of contaminated needles and surgical and dental instruments.
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