Infectious Disease News Hour

Introduction

International trade in horses is important and continuously increasing. Therefore the risk of spread of infectious diseases is permanently present.

Objectives

The worldwide situation of equine vector-borne diseases and of other diseases which are notifiable to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) is described. Actual numbers of horse movements between countries are provided. In this context the importance of disease awareness, prevention as well as preparedness increases and a set of biosecurity measures need to be prepared.

Discussion

The effectiveness of national and international equine health control programs and importation policies depend on the surveillance of equine diseases at a national level and prompt reporting to the relevant authorities and the Word Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Past experience has shown that horses were certified as being dispatched from countries free of a notifiable infectious disease, although cases of infected equidae were present in the country. Consequently, not necessarily the disease itself but the certification not substantiated by sufficient surveillance can be the main problem and risk of disease spread.

It is therefore of uppermost importance to train the disease awareness of the owners and that they report a disease suspicion to the veterinarians, to enhance the awareness of veterinarians with regard to epidemic diseases and to encourage the competent authorities to carry out surveillance programs and to make the results of surveillance public to substantiate their certification.

The number of international equestrian events organized by the 10 leading host nations increased from 350 in 1996 to 3215 in 2011 (FEI 2012). The demands of international equine sport to equine health and welfare are very high which might result in difficult movement conditions.

National measures like regionalization and local biosecurity measures on farms and equestrian event venues are of uppermost importance to prevent disease introduction and transmission.

The immediate response by horse owners to a disease suspicion and the management of outbreaks by veterinarians is essential for the control of the disease.

Conclusions

All stakeholders must be aware of the risks of infectious diseases and take their own measures to prevent the introduction and spread of possible infectious disease and be prepared in case of an outbreak. If a disease or an infectious agent is absent from a herd or region for a longer time, the disease or risk awareness decreases. A sufficiently high level of disease awareness and preparedness of all stakeholders must be trained and maintained.