Speaker
Description
Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a notifiable viral disease in equids caused by a vector-borne lentivirus. In March 2025, EIA was diagnosed in a horse in the Netherlands for the first time since 2017. The animal showed no clinical signs of illness and originated from Eastern Europe, where EIA is endemically present. The infection came to light when the horse was tested for antibodies against EIAV as part of an export screening. Official samples were collected and tested positive according to the ELISA and Coggins test.
Consequently, necropsy was performed and tissue samples were sent to the European Reference Laboratory for EIA (ANSES, France). EIAV genomic DNA was detected in samples from the liver, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes by realtime-PCR, while RNA detection was unsuccessful. Molecular characterization of the isolated strain is ongoing.
The horse had been residing in the Netherlands for three years and following an investigation by the authorities, 40 horses with an epidemiological link at three different locations were traced and sampled twice for serological screening. The second sampling took place after a period of 90 days, during which the horses were quarantined. In addition, movement of horses and manure was not allowed on these locations. All horses tested negative during the first and second round of sampling. This case highlights the importance of the screening of animals to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases into non-endemic areas.
Keywords
Equine Infectious Anemia
Notifiable disease
Equids
Lentivirus
| Registration ID | ECVM25-37 |
|---|---|
| Professional Status of the submitter, who is also the speaker | Senior Scientist |
Author
Co-authors
External references
- 10
