Equine venereal disease

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Equine venereal diseases are sexually transmitted infections in horses. They include contagious equine metritis (CEM) (caused by Taylorella equigenitalis ) and equine coital exanthema (caused by equine herpesvirus 3).

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Equine coital exanthema

This disease affects the external genitalia, and is caused by equine herpesvirus 3. This disease remains with the horse for all its life. Equine coital exanthema is believed to only be transmitted during the acute phase of the disease through serous fluid from the blisters during sexual intercourse, and via breeding tools, handlers, etc.

Clinical signs include cute small lesions, no bigger than 2 mm in diameter around the vulva in mares, and on the sheath in stallions. The small bumps blister and then rupture, leaving raw, ulcerated, painful sores. [1] While the majority of the symptoms are external, the presence of the virus can cause small and large plaque variants in tissues. [2]

Contagious equine metritis

The acute symptoms of contagious equine metritis include acyine inflammation of the uterus, an obvious thick, milky, mucous vulvar discharge 10 to 14 days after a live covering by a stallion. Chronic symptoms include milder uterine inflammation that will cause less obvious vulvar discharge, and then the infection may be more difficult to eliminate. Carrier mares can occur once the bacteria become stable within the reproductive tract. These mares can be asymptomatic for months and still remain infectious. [3]

The first case of CEM was diagnosed in England in 1977. [3] It has infected horses in 26 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

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Equid alphaherpesvirus 3, formerly Equine herpesvirus 3 (EHV-3), is a virus of the family Herpesviridae that affects horses.

Equid alphaherpesvirus 4, formerly Equine herpesvirus 4 (EHV-4) is a virus of the family Herpesviridae that cause rhinopneumonitis in horses. It is the most important viral cause of respiratory infection in foals. Like other herpes viruses, EHV-4 causes a lifelong latent infection in affected animals. These horses are usually the source for new infection for foals over two months old, weanlings, and yearlings. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, and discharge from the nose. Most infected animals recover in one to three weeks, but death can occur in environments with overcrowding and other stress factors. There are several vaccines available.

Equid alphaherpesvirus 1, formerly Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1), is a virus of the family Herpesviridae that causes abortion, respiratory disease and occasionally neonatal mortality in horses. Initial spread of EHV-1 by a newly introduced horse through direct and indirect contact can lead to abortion and perinatal infection in up to 70 percent of a previously unexposed herd. Abortion usually occurs in the last four months of gestation, two to four weeks after infection of the mare. Perinatal infection can lead to pneumonia and death. Encephalitis can occur in affected animals, leading to ataxia, paralysis, and death. There is a vaccine available, however its efficacy is questionable. The virus varies in severity from sub-clinical to very severe. Most horses have been infected with EHV-1, but the virus can become latent and persist without ever causing signs of infection. In 2006, an outbreak of EHV-1 among stables in Florida resulted in the institution of quarantine measures. The outbreak was determined to have originated in horses imported from Europe via New York, before being shipped to Florida.

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Taylorella is a genus comprising Gram-negative, short rod-shaped, chemoorganotrophic bacteria that include species that are the causative agents of contagious equine metritis. The name Taylorella serves as a dedication to C.E.D. Taylor, the scientist who identified the only species originally included in this genus. They are non-motile microaerophiles that are able to be isolated in pure culture on chocolate agar..

Contagious equine metritis (CEM) is a type of metritis in horses that is caused by a sexually transmitted infection. It is thus an equine venereal disease of the genital tract of horses, brought on by the Taylorella equigenitalis bacteria and spread through sexual contact. The disease was first reported in 1977, and has since been reported worldwide.

The Iowa Animal Industry Bureau is the governmental agency in the state of Iowa, United States, that regulates livestock health and livestock identification. Administratively it is under the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and its director is the State Veterinarian. The bureau also administratively supports the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine.

Metritis

Metritis is inflammation of the wall of the uterus, whereas endometritis is inflammation of the functional lining of the uterus, called the endometrium. The term pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is often used for metritis.

Theiler's disease is a viral hepatitis that affects horses. It is one of the most common cause of acute hepatitis and liver failure in the horse.

A Foreign animal disease (FAD) is an animal disease or pest, whether terrestrial or aquatic, not known to exist in the United States or its territories. When these diseases can significantly affect human health or animal production and when there is significant economic cost for disease control and eradication efforts, they are considered a threat to the United States. Another term gaining preference to be used is Transboundary Animal Disease (TAD), which is defined as those epidemic diseases which are highly contagious or transmissible and have the potential for very rapid spread, irrespective of national borders, causing serious socio-economic and possibly public health consequences. An Emerging Animal Disease "may be defined as any terrestrial animal, aquatic animal, or zoonotic disease not yet known or characterized, or any known or characterized terrestrial animal or aquatic animal disease in the United States or its territories that changes or mutates in pathogenicity, communicability, or zoonotic potential to become a threat to terrestrial animals, aquatic animals, or humans."

References

  1. Michael Ball, D. (1997, September 1). Equine Herpes Virus. Retrieved December 2, 2009, from The Horse: http://www.thehorse.com/Print.aspx?ID=668
  2. Zoologix. (n.d.). Equine herpesvisur type III (EHV-3). Retrieved December 10, 2009, from Zoologix: http://www.zoologix.com/horse/Datasheets/EquineHerpesvirusTypeIII.htm
  3. 1 2 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. (2005, June). Contagious Equine Metritis. Retrieved from United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/fs_ahcem.pdf Archived 2010-01-09 at the Wayback Machine