EIA imported into UK from Romania

20th January 2010

Defra have today released the news that they have destroyed two horses in Wiltshire after confirming them positive for Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA) by agar gel immunodiffusion (Coggins) testing following importation from Romania via Belgium. The premises on which the two horses are kept is currently under restriction. The two EIA positive horses, which are reported to have shown no clinical signs of infection, arrived in a group of 10 horses, nine of which originated from Romania and one from Belgium. The nine Romanian horses were tested for EIA as part of Defra's routine post-import testing and seven horses tested negative. Defra confirm that the horse that originated from Belgium will be tested shortly.

For the full details as currently available please see Defra’s press release and information about notifying EIA cases to them.

The EU recognised the high incidence and endemic status of EIA in Romania and applied special safeguards to prevent importation of EIA positive horses from Romania into other EU states, when it acceded. It is very disappointing that these pre-export safeguards do not appear to have been successful on this occasion. This emphasises the dangers to our UK equine industries of importing horses from mainland EU, particularly those originating from the eastern states, perhaps even with apparently satisfactory veterinary test results. Such horses should always be strictly isolated on arrival in UK and tested again in UK before being released into contact with the local horse population.

EIA is transmitted from horse to horse naturally by blood sucking horseflies and mosquitoes so the risk of natural spread at this time of the year is thankfully minimal. However, EIA can also be transmitted by shared veterinary equipment such as hypodermic needles, stomach tubes and tooth rasps (iatrogenic spread) and this must be clearly understood by all those who look after the health and welfare of horses. The capacity for the disease to be transmitted through the alleged use of infected biological medications was demonstrated by the outbreak that occurred in Ireland and Italy in 2002, with such tragic consequences to their horse industries.

EIA is notifiable to Defra under the Infectious Disease of Horses Order (1987). EIA positive horses remain a permanent risk for transmission to other horses and so require either euthanasia or strict isolation in vector-proof stables for duration of their lifetime. Defra has the provision to pay £1 compensation to the owners of horses that they destroy under the Equine Infectious Anaemia (Compensation) (England) Order (2006).

For more information about EIA please see our information sheet.

EIA imported into UK from Romania

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