Horse Search Anemia in NRW

Authorities are erecting Sperrbezirk due to an occurring horse search. First horse due to anemia had to be euthanized.

After outbreaks of horse searching had already been reported from Bavaria and Hesse last month, the dangerous Equine Infectious Anemia has now reached North Rhine-Westphalia. On a horse farm in the city of Wetter in the Ennepe-Ruhr district, the so-called anemia was found in a horse, the animal had to be euthanized.

Anemia was considered eradicated
Until about 20 years ago was the „Infectious anemia of the equidae“ or equine infectious anemia (E.I.A.) in Germany as eradicated, but in 1988 occurred again in Bavaria cases of dreaded horse disease. The disease, which is also known as anemic and requiring control, was probably brought back to Germany at that time with illegally imported horses from Romania. There is no vaccine protection or promising treatment options so far, so that the affected animals usually have to be killed on official veterinary instructions.

In addition, in order to prevent further spread around the respective farms and farms, a restricted area is then set for 60 days. This prohibits the removal and import of any solitary animals such as donkeys, mules, mules or zebras, or allows the transport only with the permission of the Veterinary Office. Since E.I.A. Not only is transmitted by blood-sucking insects, but also in contact between the horses through saliva, urine, semen and milk, correspondingly extensive precautions are required.

Sperrbezirk built
Thus, the veterinary office of the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis has closed the operation affected in the weather and has ordered that the 83 other pension horses are not allowed to leave the farm. In the restricted area „In the area Esborn / Oberwengern there are nine further farms with about 120 horses. These too can not leave the companies and we will also take blood samples from them“, said the official veterinarian of the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis, dr. Peter Richter. „The animal comes from North Rhine-Westphalia and has not left the company in weather for several years“, so the further remarks of the expert in relation to the current case, where Dr. Richter also expressed his surprise at a possible route of infection. Because blood-sucking insects, which often act as a carrier, are rather rare at this time of year and also survives the E.I.A. virus, according to the Friedrich Loeffler Institute „only about 15 to 30 minutes on the mouthparts of insects“, so that „a transmission over larger distances (200 m) not“ occurs. Also, infection by horses from Romania is unlikely. To check whether other animals are infected with the dangerous virus, the 203 horses in the Sperrbezirk in the coming days, blood samples are taken.

Symptoms of anemia
E.I.A. „is harmless to humans“ As district spokesman Ingo Niemann emphasizes. But for horses, a disease usually catastrophic health consequences, as the virus brings a gradual dissolution of platelets and red blood cells in the body of horses. Thus, an acute illness directly leads to the death of the animal in an acute case, but can also lead to a continuous course of the disease, which weakens the immune system of the horse sustainably and makes it more susceptible to other infections.

The symptoms of anemia include unsafe and drowsy behaviors, red eyes, discharge, swelling of the water, swelling, refusal to feed and greatly reduced performance, and severe fevers with very high temperatures in the acute stage of the disease. Symptomatic sequelae are also small punctate hemorrhages in several parts of the body. After about two to five days, the disease passes from an acute course to a chronic stage of illness, whereby the affected animals themselves never become completely healthy again and, for their part, are sources of infection for a long time. In some horses, the E.I.A: virus „However, even without the animal showing symptoms, be present“, explained Ingo Niemann

Rising number of illnesses
While the anemia in the animal health report from the year 2009 still does not play any special role, an increasing number of cases can be observed in Germany this year. On the one hand, animals imported from Romania are still frequently carriers of the E.I.A. virus (more than 11,000 animals were infected there in 2009), and on the other hand, the virologists of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut also see an increased transmission risk „through non-certified organic products and neglecting disinfection and hygiene measures through injection needles, veterinary instruments or care accessories“.

Therefore, all owners of the approximately 6,000 horses in the Ennepe-Ruhr-Kreis and „all persons who are in any way concerned with the treatment of horses“ prompted now, „to observe the necessary and well-known hygiene regulations to a very special degree. This mainly affects veterinarians, veterinary practitioners and blacksmiths“, so the hint of the Friedrich Loeffler Institute. Ingo Niemann tried to calm the worries of some horse owners: „If it turns out that another horse is infected - or more - the Veterinary Office will not just go and euthanize it. All further steps are done in the company of the horse owners“, assures the press spokesman of the EN circle. (sb, 08.11.2010)

Also read:
Deadly horse search in Bavaria

Image: Waltraud Seitz