Journal article
Outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in Florida
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol.240(5), pp.588-595
03/01/2012
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/114424
PMID: 22332629
Abstract
A 7-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was hospitalized in Ocala, Fla, because of lethargy, fever, anorexia, and swelling of distal aspects of the limbs. A tentative diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis (EP) was made on the basis of examination of a blood smear. The case was reported to the Florida State Veterinarian, and infection with Babesia equi was confirmed. The subsequent investigation included quarantine and testing of potentially exposed horses for B equi and Babesia caballi infections, tick surveillance, and owner-agent interviews.
210 horses on 25 premises were tested for infection with EP pathogens. Twenty B equi-infected horses on 7 premises were identified; no horses tested positive for B caballi. Seven horses, including the index case, had clinical findings consistent with EP Dermacentor variabilis was considered the only potential tick vector for B equi collected, and all D variabilis specimens tested negative for Babesia organisms via PCR assay. Results of the epidemiological investigation suggested that B equi was spread by use of shared needles and possibly blood transfusions. All horses that tested positive were involved in nonsanctioned Quarter Horse racing, and management practices were thought to pose substantial risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens.
Final outcome of B equi-infected horses was euthanasia, death from undetermined causes, or shipment to a US federal research facility.
This investigation highlights the importance of collaboration between private veterinary practitioners, state veterinary diagnostic laboratories, and regulatory officials in the recognition, containment, and eradication of foreign animal disease.
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Details
- Title
- Outbreak of equine piroplasmosis in Florida
- Creators
- Michael A Short - Division of Animal Industry, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 407 S Calhoun St, Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399, USA. Michael.Short@FreshFromFlorida.comCarol K ClarkJohn W HarveyNanny WenzlowIan K HawkinsDavid R AllredDonald P KnowlesJoseph L CornJuanita F GrauseSteven G HennagerDiane L KitchenJosie L Traub-Dargatz
- Publication Details
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol.240(5), pp.588-595
- Academic Unit
- Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Department of
- Publisher
- United States
- Identifiers
- 99900547966201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article