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1. EEE, WNV Confirmed in Florida Horses
By Erica Larson, News Editor
TheHorse.com
June 28, 2016
Florida animal health officials have confirmed an additional equine Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) case, along with the state's first equine West Nile virus (WNV) case for 2016, the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) reported.
The new EEE case was confirmed June 28 in Polk County.
"The 6-year-old Arabian had no vaccine history for EEE and no recent travel history," an EDCC statement read. "Clinical signs began on June 19 and the horse was euthanized for humane reasons the same day."
This is the third equine EEE case in Polk County and the seventh confirmed case in Florida for 2016.
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2. Colleton Co. has first case of EEE in horse [SC]
By The Press and Standard
WalterboroLive.com
June 28, 2016
State veterinary officials are urging South Carolina horse owners to vaccinate their animals following the discovery of four cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis including one horse in Colleton County, two horses in Horry County and one in Marion County.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a serious, mosquito-borne illness in horses that can also affect humans. In unvaccinated horses, it is almost always fatal.
"Nine of 10 exposed, unvaccinated horses will succumb to the disease. However, with proper vaccine use the risk of disease is minimized," said Adam Eichelberger, a veterinarian overseeing animal health programs for Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health.
Symptoms usually develop in horses from 2-5 days after exposure. These include stumbling, circling, head pressing, depression or apprehension, weakness of legs, partial paralysis, inability to stand, muscle twitching or death.
South Carolina led the nation in cases of the disease in 2013 with 49 infected horses. Of those, 48 died. None of the horses infected during 2013 had been vaccinated effectively, according to a review of Livestock-Poultry Health vaccination history.
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3. EIA Hold Order at Arapahoe Park Lifted [CO]
By Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
June 28, 2016
The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) State Veterinarian's Office has released the hold order on the Arapahoe Park race track in Aurora, Colorado, put in place after a horse residing there tested positive for equine infectious anemia (EIA).
The office was informed that the EIA-positive mare was euthanized Monday (June 27) morning. A second exposed animal, a pony owned by the same person, was removed from the track to a newly quarantined premises.
Movement restrictions affecting horses at Arapahoe Park have been removed. Racing at the track has not been affected and will continue. The hold order prohibiting horses from entering or leaving the track was issued June 23.
The affected horse had been in Colorado less than 60 days. It appears that the horse was infected prior to coming to Colorado and previously tested negative for the disease in May of 2015. Because the disease is most commonly spread by biting flies and it is very early in Colorado's fly season, the risk of disease transmission to other horses at the track appears to be relatively low.
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4. Governor tours state's animal health lab in Salisbury [MD]
Staff Report
DelmarvaNow.com
June 28, 2016
Gov. Larry Hogan on Tuesday toured the state's Animal Health Laboratory in Salisbury, which is operated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Built in 1951, this facility is slated for a $17 million renovation. The new building will be built next to the current facility in Wicomico County, which will be demolished once the new lab is completed.
"The current health lab is more than 60 years old, and providing the funding for this new facility in our budget was a top priority," said Hogan. "The new lab will help the state keep pace with the demands of an increasingly more complex and integrated global market, while providing the diagnostic functions we need to better protect the poultry industry, livestock, and public health."
The fiscal 2017 capital budget includes $750,000 to begin the design of this project, which will replace the lab and adjoining building. These buildings will serve as primary resources for avian influenza. Total estimated cost for planning, construction, and equipment is $17.2 million.
Poultry is the largest agricultural sector in Maryland, comprising nearly 40 percent of all farm receipts. The Salisbury lab has a large molecular diagnostic capability to assist the high volume of testing needed for the poultry industry, primarily used for the detection of Avian Influenza Virus, Newcastle Disease Virus, Infectious Bronchitis Virus, Infectious Laryngotracheitis Virus, Salmonella and Mycoplasma diseases. The lab also tests for equine infectious anemia, Exotic Newcastle Disease, swine influenza virus, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine epidemic delta corona virus.
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5. Mexico agrees to fully reopen market to Canadian beef
Amanda Stephenson
Calgary Herald
June 28, 2016
Mexico's decision to fully reopen its market to Canadian beef has the potential to increase beef exports to that country by $100 million annually, the Canadian Cattlemen's Association said Tuesday.
The industry group praised the move, which will finally normalize the Canada-Mexico beef trade by lifting restrictions on imports that have been in place since a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was discovered in an Alberta cow in May 2003. While Mexico re-opened to beef from cattle under 30 months of age later that year, it has remained closed to beef from older animals and some offal for more than a decade - making it one of the last countries to still have BSE-related trade restrictions against Canadian product.
Between 2011 and 2015, Canada averaged $136 million in annual beef exports to Mexico. The country sits in third place among Canadian beef customers, after the U.S. and Hong Kong.
But John Masswohl - director of government and international relations for the Canadian Cattlemen's Association - said prior to Canada's BSE crisis, Mexico was this country's second-largest market for beef with annual exports valued at between $270 million and $290 million a year. Approximately 20 to 25 per cent was beef from cattle under 30 months.
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6. Burden of Canine Brucellosis Information Collection
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
June 28, 2016
Due to increasing concern regarding the potential human health impact of Brucella canis and the lack of data regarding the prevalence of canine brucellosis in the United States, the CDC is requesting that veterinary diagnostic laboratories provide information to estimate the burden of canine disease.
The assessment, titled "Burden of Canine Brucellosis Information Collection", was sent to veterinary diagnostic laboratories the week of June 20th, 2016. It is also available here:
We estimate it will take approximately 1 hour to complete the assessment and request they be returned by July 22, 2016.
Information obtained from this assessment will help provide important information about canine brucellosis. We hope the results from this assessment will help 1) to estimate the burden of canine brucellosis in the United States, 2) to determine locations of higher prevalence, and 3) to inform the need for future human studies.
There has been increasing concern among both human and animal health groups regarding the potential human health impact of Brucella canis. Both the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and the American Veterinary Medical Association have published position statements on Brucella canis. These statements urge for the development of diagnostic assays, request improved communication and data sharing between state departments of health and agriculture, and advocate for the continued commitment of state and federal agencies to the eradication of brucellosis in humans and animals.
If you have any questions about this assessment, please contact Rita Traxler at rtraxler@cdc.gov.
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