Equine infectious anaemia: A case report [German]

摘要

After an absence, for several decades, of equine infectious anaemia, a clinical case of IAE occurred in a homebred thoroughbred 6 year old gelding, in August 1998, at a clinic near Augsburg, Bavaria. IAE was diagnosed by clinical, serological (Coggins test) and haematological findings. In view of this long absence and the epidemiological importance of carriers, the tracing of contacts extended back to 1992. Premises in 33 districts in nine Lander were involved in the investigations. A total of 10 horses were positive to the Coggins test. All were in Bavaria and 261 in-contact horses were traced, all were sero-negative. In addition to the gelding which exhibited clinical signs, one horse revealed pathological signs of IAE. All ten positive animals were destroyed. The infection most probably started in a holding in the district of Donau-Ries, Bavaria, where it was most likely to have been introduced by a Roumanian horse in 1994, purchased for slaughter. The investigations did not reveal that IAE had become established in the local horse population, and, despite the long period since its introduction, no carriers were detected. No vaccine is available for IAE and protective measures are restricted to preventing introduction to premises. In addition to the veterinary checks at the border inspection posts, it is recommended that a Coggins test is requested when purchasing horses of unknown origin or from the eastern and south eastern European countries.