Thursday, July 14, 2011

EVA Outbreak / France

EQUINE VIRAL ARTERITIS - FRANCE: (BOUCHES-DU-RHONE, HERAULT) REQUEST


FOR INFORMATION

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Date: Tue 12 Jul 2011

Source: The Horse [edited]







French EVA outbreak stabilizing

-------------------------------

A stallion, several mares, and a foal have tested positive for equine

viral arteritis (EVA) at 2 French Lusitano farms in a new outbreak of

a disease not seen in France since 2007 [but see commentary below],

according to a European equine pathology surveillance network. The

mares suffered fertility issues, including abortion, and the foal

died.



"To our knowledge, several problems of reproduction were reported in

the breeding center where the foal died: embryonic reabsorption, low

fertility, and infertility," said Christel Marcillaud Pitel, director

of the Reseau d'Epidemio-Surveillance en Pathologie Equine [equine

pathology surveillance network] in Caen, France. "There was only one

case of an abortion causing an expulsed fetus, and the fetus was born

alive but very weak and it died within 48 hours."



The outbreak occurred in 2 neighboring farms in southeast France near

Marseille [Bouches-du-Rhone department] and Montpellier [Herault

department]. The outbreak appears to be limited to a Lusitano breeding

program in the area, Marcillaud Pitel said. The affected stallion's

semen was not shipped for artificial insemination because he only

provides live cover, she added.



Analyses revealed that both farms were affected by the same strain of

the virus, but the origin of the outbreak is unknown. The 2 farms have

been quarantined since the 1st case was detected in late June [2011].

Any horses that left the sites prior to the quarantine have been

tested for EVA. Results are pending, but the situation appears to be

stabilizing, Marcillaud Pitel said.



The last EVA outbreak in France [see commentary below] began in July

2007 and affected 26 farms in Normandy, including the French national

stud at Haras du Pin.



"For the moment (the current outbreak) is of a weaker amplitude

because it's localized in just these 2 sites," Marcillaud Pitel said.

"The virus also seems less virulent (than the one in 2007): the

symptoms are less remarkable, and it is less widespread among the

individuals."



The disease, which is caused by the equine arteritis virus, can cause

fever, edema, and abortion and is mainly transmitted through semen.

Affected horses can carry the virus for life after the acute stages of

the illness have passed. During the acute stage the virus can also be

transmitted via respiratory secretions.



[Byline: Christa Leste-Lasserre]



--

Communicated by:

ProMED-mail





[EVA has been annually reported to the OIE by France as present since

at least 1996. During 2010, 11 outbreaks were recorded from the

departments of Lot (2 outbreaks), Manche (1), Orne (1), Ardennes (1),

Bouches-du-Rhone (1), Calvados (1), and Correze (3). It will be

helpful to note if these records were related to clinical or

asymptomatic cases. The information by The Horse above, according to

which EVA is a "disease not seen in France since 2007", deserves

clarification. It will also be interesting to note if the introduction

of the agent may be attributed to national/international movements of

horses.



For detailed background on EVA, please refer to Mod.TG's commentary

in ProMED-mail posting 20100509.1513 and to OIE's Terrestrial Manual

at

.



Background on the Lusitano (Portuguese) horse breed can be accessed

at .



EVA is not zoonotic. - Mod.AS]



[Maps of France can be seen at

and

. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]



[see also:

2010

----

Equine viral arteritis - UK (02): (England), OIE 20101220.4481

Equine viral arteritis - UK, OIE 20100805.2650

Equine viral arteritis - Argentina ex Holland 20100509.1513

2008

----

Equine viral arteritis - Israel (02): OIE 20081111.3547

2007

----

Equine viral arteritis - France 20070714.2260]

.................................................sb/arn/mj/mpp

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