A new diagnostic test for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a progressive, degenerative neurological disease of the central nervous system, has been developed by a team led by Daniel Howe, Ph.D., at the University of Kentucky‘s Gluck Equine Research Center. The diagnostic tool measures the antibody response of horses to immunogenic proteins located on the surface of Sarcocystis neurona.
By comparing the amount of antibody present in the horse's blood to the level in its cerebrospinal fluid, it is possible to verify with a high degree of accuracy whether the horse is actually suffering from EPM or has simply been exposed to the parasite.
The disease is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorders of horses in the United States. A recent USDA study revealed an incidence of 14 new cases of EPM diagnosed per 10,000 horses per year in the United States.
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis ( EPM) has been described in horses for over 30 years. Cases have been reported throughout the United States, Canada and several countries in Central and South America.
While great strides have been made throughout the last decade in an effort to understand EPM, many questions remain unanswered concerning its etiology, pathogenesis, occurrence, treatment, and diagnosis.
To protect equines from getting the disease, feed and bedding supplies need to be protected from exposure to wildlife such as opossums, skunks, and raccoons. According to studies, other animals, including domestic cats have been implicated as a source of the disease, but in many cases, the host of the parasite is unknown.