Canada Reports EIA and EHV Abortions

The Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System confirmed one case of equine infectious anemia (EIA) in a horse in the Municipality of Lake View, Saskatchewan, Canada, on April 4. The horse had been sampled by an accredited veterinarian at the owner’s request prior to it being moved to a separate premises. No clinical signs of disease were noted at the time of sampling. An investigation is underway and as per program policy, a quarantine has been placed on the infected horse and its on-premises contact animals. The quarantine will remain until all disease response activities have been completed, including follow-up testing and ordering the destruction of positive cases. Trace-out activities might require the CFIA to undertake actions at additional premises as outlined in the current policy

On May 6, the Equine Disease Communication Center was alerted about two cases of abortion due to equine herpesvirus in Saskatchewan on April 9. Twenty-two horses were exposed.

The first case involved a 9-year-old mare that was unvaccinated. The second case was in a 14-year-old mare that was unvaccinated. Both mares are alive.

The abortions occurred in two mares from a group of 22 pregnant mares, described as residing in an “open” herd. There was no respiratory disease reported in this group of mares. One of the aborted fetuses tested positive for EHV-1 by PCR. The attending veterinarian is overseeing and managing the case.

Saskatchewan Agriculture monitors the occurrence of EHV-1 in the province, but does not respond to positive cases.