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EQUINE REVIEW
SPRING 2010
10
to the foetus or colostrum to the foal. As the
biting flies particularly live in low-lying swampy
areas the disease is also known as ‘Swamp
Fever’. In fact the disease has been identified
on all of the continents. In Europe, it is most
prevalent in the northern and central regions.
Horses are most likely to become infected
when travelling abroad to countries, or areas,
where the disease is endemic, or from the
use of biological products infected with the
EIA virus.
Unfortunately as yet there is no successful
treatment or vaccine available so if an owner
has an animal that they are suspicious about
they must notify their own vet or a vet in their
local Animal Health Office (found on the
DEFRA website) immediately. The suspected
animal will be bloodtested and an agar gel
immunodiffusion test (Coggins test) performed.
If the horse is found to be positive it will
be put to sleep to control the spread of the
disease and ensure that the country remains
EIA free and all equine animals in contact
with it will be tested to ensure that they are
not carriers. They will not be euthanased
unless they are found to be carriers.
Andrew Robinson
EQUINE
INFECTIOUS ANAEMIA (EIA)
“EIA is a viral disease caused by a lentivirus of the
retrovirus family that is closely related to the one
causing HIV in humans...”