Page 3 - Equine influenza e-Book
P. 3
Legal: Summary
USA
• Reportable disease:
o Arizona.
o Louisiana.
o Mississippi.
o Vermont (type A).
o Virginia.
o Washington.
• OIE List B disease.
UK
• No legislation, but Jockey Club regulations require primary and booster vaccinations of all horses
entering racecourses.
Age predisposition
• Foals: pneumonia.
• Adults: tracheobronchitis.
Cost considerations
• Outbreaks in racing stables, breeding establishments and show barns. Marked impact on the equine
industry.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
• Equine influenza A virus Equine influenza virus - an orthomyxovirus.
• Two main strains: H7N7 (formerly subtype 1) and H3N8 (formerly subtype 2).
• There have been very few reports of H7N7 subtype virus infections in the last 20 years, H3N8 infections
predominate.
• There are two main lineages of H3N8 viruses: American and Eurasian.
• Host-species specific: infects horses, donkeys and mules only.
Predisposing factors
General
• Contact with infected equids.
• Stress, eg transport.
• Compromised local immunity, eg young foals.
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