In it's Quarterly Equine Disease Report, the Center of the American Association of Equine Practitioners provides an indication of heightened activity of contagious or environment-related diseases among equids.
Veterinarian checking horse's vital signs
This report is a retrospective and does not claim to be complete, however, it provides an indication of heightened activity of contagious or environment-related diseases among equids..
© 2017 by Monkey Business Images New window.
Reports of equine infectious disease were not received from Central and South America, most parts of Africa (with exception of the Republic of South Africa nor from most parts of Asia with the exception of Japan.
Strangles was reported from various regions of North America and Europe, including the British Isles. Routine screening revealed eight cases of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in North America and one case in Italy.
A few outbreaks of equine influenza virus were reported from regions of North America and from various parts of Europe, including UK and Germany.
Equine herpes virus (EHV-4) respiratory disease was detected in groups of weanlings in Kentucky, United States of America (USA), as well as from isolated cases, mostly from young stock, in other regions of North America and Europe. Pregnant mares in the Northern Hemisphere entered their most vulnerable period for EHV abortion, thus it is not surprising that cases of EHV-1 abortion were reported from the Midwest region of the USA, British Isles, continental Europe and from Japan.
Furthermore, the first quarter of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is also high season for equid herpesvirus-associated myeloencephalopathy (EHM). EHM outbreaks were reported from various regions of North America. The highest number of cases was reported in California,USA and from continental Europe. EHM was typically detected in one or more horses, while several other in-contact animals had fevers and respiratory signs.
There were no reports of West Nile virus encephalitis; however, one case of Eastern equine encephalitis virus infection was reported in Florida, and a case of Japanese encephalitis virus infection was reported in Australia.
One case of rabies encephalitis was reported in Oklahoma, USA.
Miscellaneous:
Eleven laboratory submissions tested positive for Taylorella equigenitalis, the causative agent of contagious equine metritis, in Germany and one submission in the UK.
Two cases of equine coronavirus were diagnosed in continental Europe. Australia reported a new variant of Hendra virus that detected in a horse with clinical signs.
Press release by Equine Disease Quarterly