Disease factsheet: Equine Infectious Anaemia
If you suspect signs of any notifiable disease, you must immediately notify a Defra Divisional Veterinary Manager.
This is in accordance with the Code of Practice for Equine Infectious Anaemia, which may be found below.
25 May 2007 - Two cases of EIA has been reported in southern France.
3 May 2007 - Council Decision 2007/269/EC 
on protective measures with regard to EIA in Romania came into force on 3 May 2007.
- EIA Q&A
- Protocol for the equine industry (Link to the British Horseracing Authority website)
- Definition
- History and spread of the disease
- Code of Practice for Equine Infectious Anaemia
- Epidemiology
- Post mortem
- Legislation
- Control
Definition
Infectious Equine Anaemia or "swamp fever" is a virus disease of horses causing intermittent fever, anaemia, emaciation and death. It can be transmitted by mechanical transfer of blood by biting insects and occurs typically in low-lying swampy areas. The disease was first described in France in 1843. The term "swamp fever" was first used by Torrance in 1903 in Canada, where this disease had been known before 1882.
History and spread of the disease
EIA has a worldwide distribution. Early in the twentieth century serious outbreaks occurred in France, Japan and America. During the decade 1980 to 1989 the disease was reported in many parts of America, Asia (India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand) Europe (Austria, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, USSR and Yugoslavia) and Australia.
Code of Practice for Equine Infectious Anaemia
Defra has developed a Code of Practice
for Equine Infectious Anaemia
(31 KB) in conjunction with the equine industry. It provides background
information on Equine Infectious Anaemia and the consequences of infection.
It also provides advice to those in the industry on precautionary measures
that should be taken to minimise the risk of possible infection.
Epidemiology
This disease occurs in horses, mules and donkeys. Animals may be acutely, chronically or subclinically affected. The incubation period is variable, from a matter of days to a few months but generally 1 to 3 weeks. Antibodies usually develop 7 to 14 days after infection and last for life.
Post mortem
These depend upon the stage of the disease. Haemorrhages, oedema and jaundice occur in the acute disease: enlargement of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes are common in the chronic stage.
Legislation
The new Equine Infectious Anaemia (Compensation) (England) Order 2006 came into force on the 6 November 2006.
The Specified
Diseases (Notification and Slaughter) Order 2006
(Link to OPSI website) came into force in England on 29 August 2006. It
amended the Specified Diseases (Notification and Slaughter) Order 1992
by adding equine infectious anaemia to the list of diseases to which section
32 of the Animal Health Act 1981 applies (under which the Secretary of
State may cause animals to be slaughtered). It also amended the Specified
Diseases (Notification) Order 1996 by adding equine infectious anaemia
to the list of specified diseases in relation to which the notification
provisions in article 3 of that Order apply.
Control
This is based on the restriction of movement of suspected animals and their contacts combined with clinical observation.
Related Pages
Page last modified:
August 28, 2008