LINCOLN, Neb. (Neligh News) — A serious viral disease called Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) that spreads through blood contact has been found in Colfax County. This disease cannot be cured.
According to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, this is the first time EIA has been found in Nebraska since 2013. The horses on the farm where the disease was found have been placed under quarantine. They will be released only after they meet state health rules.
The United States government has agreed to pay Moderna $176 million to develop a vaccine for pandemic flu.
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture is working with the horse owner and a local vet to keep an eye on other horses that might have been exposed to the virus.
The virus can be spread by insects like horseflies, deerflies, or stable flies that feed on blood. It can also be spread by people using medical equipment that has not been properly cleaned, such as needles, syringes, and IV sets. There is no vaccine approved by the USDA to prevent EIA.
State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley said, “Horse owners can help stop the spread of EIA by keeping things clean, regularly testing their horses for diseases like EIA, and being careful when giving horses injections.” He also mentioned that both horse owners and vets need to report any sick horses to help control the disease.
The release also advises horse owners to protect their horses by using insect control methods, keeping stables clean, getting rid of standing water, using a new needle for each horse, separating sick horses from healthy ones, and never using medical equipment that has been contaminated with blood on more than one horse.
Signs that a horse might have EIA include fever, feeling depressed, low platelet count, anemia, red or purple spots on the mucous membranes, swelling, muscle weakness, and muscle wasting. The symptoms can be mild or severe and can be short-term or long-term. It might take 60 days or more for a horse to test positive for EIA. Horses that survive the disease can still carry and spread it to other horses for the rest of their lives.
There are also rules about bringing animals into states that have cases of EIA, including Nebraska. Anyone thinking about moving a horse into Nebraska should call 402-471-2351 to find out more about these rules.
EIA can also affect the export of animals. Anyone planning to move animals or animal products to other states should contact the destination state to find out their import requirements before transporting the animals.