Media release: Insect borne diseases of horses
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) wants veterinary practitioners to submit samples from horses displaying unexplained nervous system symptoms.
Victoria’s Acting Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Andrew Cameron said DPI was investigating a number of cases of unexplained neurological disease in horses.
“Samples from veterinary practitioners investigating any cases of nervous system disease will help our investigation,” Dr Cameron said.
In Victoria, cases have been observed along the Murray River and in an area of approximately 50 kilometres around Ballarat.
Unexplained neurological cases have also been recently observed in South Australia and New South Wales. The main symptom in horses is ataxia or ‘wobbliness’.
“The coincidence of these cases with a period of extraordinarily high mosquito activity after a heavy rainy season, and the apparent association with proximity to water bodies is highly suggestive of arbovirus infection (i.e. ‘insect borne’ infection),” Dr Cameron said.
“Cases of neurological disease have been previously seen in horses during periods of Murray Valley Encephalitis (MVE) activity, such as in 1974.
“While recent evidence of Ross River virus infection has been detected in some of the horses sampled to date, the possibility of MVE or other arboviruses is also being investigated.
“The horse is usually a ‘dead-end’ host for mosquito-borne arbovirus infections.
“There is no risk to humans from direct contact with horses, and it is highly likely that the great majority of horses infected with arbovirus will develop no clinical symptoms.”
Horse owners are encouraged to consult with their veterinary practitioner as to means available to reduce the risk of horse exposure to mosquitoes.
“Stabling during the dawn and dusk periods of mosquito activity is a valuable strategy, and topical treatments and repellants are available,” Dr Cameron said.
“This is clearly not Hendra virus we are dealing with.
“There is no association with bat populations and the symptoms and course of illness in affected horses are unlike Hendra virus infection, which has also been ruled out by precautionary testing.”
Media contact: Alan Everett 9658 4092
In Associated News CSIRO stoppage affects horse disease investigation
Tuesday, 15/03/2011
Efforts to identify a mystery horse disease were halted this morning when CSIRO workers started industrial action.
Scientists stopped work at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong as part of a national campaign for higher wages.
The laboratory is researching a nervous system disease that's been found in horses across three states.
Sam Popovski, from the CSIRO Staff Association, says the horse disease testing was stopped.
"That work and all the work that is of that similar regard is affected. Staff are really committed to that work and I'm sure they'll continue to, for the remainder of this week, work studiously on that issue," he said.
"But at the moment, as I said, we are stopping work and we're not conducting that research."
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