African horse sickness virus ahsv is a viral disease transmitted by the biting midge. It is caused by nine different serotypes of the orbivirus african horse sickness virus ahsv and it is spread by culicoid midges. It is the only equine disease for which the world organization for animal health has introduced specific guidelines for member countries seeking official recognition of diseasefree status. The african horse sickness scotland order 2012 and. However, the manufacture of this vaccine uses very old technology and. The uk equine population is now vulnerable to viruses that no one ever believed would be seen on our shores. If you suspect it you must report it immediately by calling the defra rural services helpline on 03000 200 301.
African horse sickness ahs is a hemorrhagic viral fever of horses. Pdf, 375kb, 4 pages details preliminary and updated outbreak assessments for african horse sickness in horses from multiple barns across the district of pak chong, thailand. Pdf african horse sickness ahs is a devastating disease of equids caused by an arthropodborne virus belonging to the reoviridae family, genus. African horse sickness food safety european commission. Mortality can be as high as 95 percent in some forms of this disease. Pdf seroepidemiological study of african horse sickness in. The equids most severely affected by the virus are horses, ponies, and european donkeys.
The disease is capable of causing severe illness and death in horses, which may adversely affect the livelihoods of the owners of. For example, medications and therapy to alleviate colic may be offered. The virus is a noncontagious, vectorborne orbivirus that is. African horse sickness virus causes disease in horses, mules, and donkeys with up to 95% mortality. The severity of african horse sickness ahs is strongly linked to the immunity status of the horse concerned, and the dose of the virus it receives from biting midges. There are 9 antigenically distinct serotypes of ahs virus ahsv identified by virus neutralization, but some. It is caused by a virus of the genus orbivirus belonging to the family reoviridae. The disease is fatal and should be transmitted by vector. African horse sickness ahs, also called equine plague, disease of equidae horses, mules, donkeys, and zebras caused by an orbivirus called ahsv family reoviridae that is transmitted by arthropods, notably biting midges culicoides imicola.
The african horse sickness wales regulations 20 provide the legal powers to allow the control of african horse sickness ahs. The disease has significant economic consequences for the equine industry both in southern africa and increasingly further afield. African horse sickness fast fact iowa state university. African horse sickness ahs is an insectborne, viral disease of equids that is endemic to subsaharan africa. African horse sickness has not occurred in the united states. African horse sickness ahs is an arthropodborne, oienotifiable disease of horses, mules, donkeys, and zebras that is caused by an orbivirus family reoviridae and characterized by respiratory distress or cardiovascular failure. This disease is endemic to subsaharan africa, however outbreaks have been seen in egypt, the middle east and southern arabia. African horse sickness caused by genome reassortment and. African horse sickness virus ahsv causes a noncontagious, infectious insectborne disease of equids and is endemic in many areas of subsaharan africa and possibly yemen in the arabian peninsula. The first recorded epidemic occurred in the cape colony in 1719. African horse sickness is a notifiable animal disease.
African horse sickness ahs is an exotic animal disease, which is internationally recognised as having the potential to cause severe damage to the equine industry through direct losses of susceptible animals and damage to related industries and trade. Apr 06, 2020 pdf, 375kb, 4 pages details preliminary and updated outbreak assessments for african horse sickness in horses from multiple barns across the district of pak chong, thailand. Apart from venezuelan equine encephalitis, it is the most important viral disease capable of causing widespread mortality in horses. African horse sickness a chronic infectious disease of horses, mules, and asses, characterized by the formation of abscesses along the passage of the lymph vessels. This book is based upon the findings of two programmes funded by the european commission. African horse sickness aetiology epidemiology diagnosis prevention and control references aetiology classification of the causative agent african horse sickness ahs is caused by a virus of the family reoviridae of the genus orbivirus. The disease affects horses, ponies, and european donkeys most severely. Ahsv affects draft, thoroughbred, and companion horses and donkeys in africa, asia, and europe.
African horse sickness ahs is a peracute, acute, subacute or mild infectious but noncontagious disease of equids caused by african horse sickness virus ahsv. African horse sickness ahs is a serious arthropodborne viral disease of equids, with a mortality rate that can reach 95% in some species, such as horses. African horse sickness ahs is one of the important arbovirus diseases in horse. African horse sickness ahs is a highly infectious and deadly disease caused by african horse sickness virus. The paper describes ahs, some factors that influence the disease, how to control the disease. The 2011 outbreak of african horse sickness in the african horse sickness controlled area in south africa. Thereafter, disastrous epidemics occurred every 20 years or so up until the twentieth century, when vaccines became available. African horse sickness virus ahsv is a lethal arbovirus of equids that is transmitted between hosts primarily by biting midges of the genus diptera. Download an offline version of the registration form.
Epizootics of african horse sickness have been recognized in south africa since 1780. African horse sickness is a notifiable disease, according to council directive 82894eec of 21 december 1982 on the notification of animal diseases within the eu. There is little doubt that the live attenuated vaccine that has been used in south africa to protect horses against ahsv for the past six decades 160,161 has ensured their continued existence. The disease, which is not usually fatal to indigenous zebra herds, is often fatal in horses. Classification of the causative agent resistance to physical. African horse sickness question and answer diseases once associated with foreign climes are now, as a result of climate change, more likely to pose a threat to the uk. African horse sickness virus an overview sciencedirect topics. African horse sickness ahs is an arboviral disease of equids transmitted by culicoides biting midges. It can be acute, subacute, or subclinical and is characterized by clinical signs and lesions associated with respiratory and circulatory impairment.
Asymptomatic or mild infections may occur in zebras, african donkeys, and horses previously infected by another serotype of the virus. African horse sickness is denoted as infectious animal disease in livestock, bringing it under the scope of article 3. Overview of african horse sickness generalized conditions. In most cases the discharge from the nose only appears after death. African horse sickness is a lethal and debilitating disease of domestic equids. Pdf awareness of african horse sickness as an emerging. Serotype 9 is widespread in the endemic region, while serotypes 1 to 8 occur in limited areas. African horse sickness 2 page discharge of large quantities of frothy, serofibrinous fluid from the nostrils are seen in some horses with the pulmonary form of african horse sickness prior to death. A postmortem being carried out on a filly that died of a peracute case dunkop of ahs. African horse sickness is an economically highly important noncontagious but infectious orbivirus disease that is transmitted by various species of culicoides midges. Thailand reported an outbreak of african horse sickness ahs on 27 march, in horses from multiple barns across the district of pak chong, in the north eastern region of the country. Fever will be addressed with medication to reduce it, and if there is a need for oxygen supplementation, this will be provided. African horse sickness article about african horse.
Reoviridae, of which there are nine serotypes, all transmitted by. Sop manual 12 african horse sickness etiology and ecology 1. The document is structured with the following broad sections that follow events as they might. African horse sickness emerging pathogens institute. Unfortunately, there is no cure for african horse sickness, however supportive care may be offered. The transmission and geographical spread of african horse sickness and bluetongue viruses. African horse sickness an overview sciencedirect topics. Nine distinct, internationally recognised serotypes of the virus have so far been identified. This vectorborne, viral disease affects all members of the equidae family. Ahs is caused by african horse sickness virus ahsv, which. The greatest virus diversity has been reported in southern and eastern africa. Pdf seroepidemiological study of african horse sickness. Pdf the 2011 outbreak of african horse sickness in the.
The distribution of this virus is illustrated in fig. Sep 11, 2019 african horse sickness is a lethal and debilitating disease of domestic equids. This disease is potential to spread rapidly and has impacts in public health and socioeconomic, especially in the international trade of horses and its products. African horse sickness control page 2 of 46 20 september 2018 african horse sickness ahs is a viral disease of equids horses, donkeys, mules and zebras that is transmitted by culicoides midges. Ahs is almost exclusively a disease of equids and is not considered zoonotic, although disease associated with the virus has been described in people following nasal exposure to virus from broken vaccine vials. Transmitted by insects, diseases such as west nile virus, swamp. Description of the disease it is caused by one or more of the nine different serotypes of an orbivirus of the family reoviridae. The eu has a set of specific legislation for a number of animal diseases depending on their potential social and economic impact. Aug 26, 2014 african horse sickness is a notifiable animal disease. Geographic distribution african horse sickness is endemic in subsaharan africa. African horse sickness virus an overview sciencedirect.
This disease can be caused by any of the nine serotypes of this virus. African horse sickness can affect horses, donkeys, mules, zebras, camels and dogs. A special incident desk has been set up that can be contacted 24 hours per day. Since 1997, south africa has maintained an ahs controlled area. African horse sickness ahs is a disease caused by the african horse sickness virus ahsv. Information on sampling of suspected cases for vets. African horse sickness virus is a doublestranded rna virus which causes a noncontagious, infectious arthropodborne disease of equines and occasionally dogs. African horse sickness is a devastating disease that causes great suffering and many fatalities amongst horses in subsaharan africa. A crosssectional study was carried out from november 2009 to mid of march 2010 to determine the seroprevalence of african horse sickness antibodies in the equine population of three selected districtsdamot gale, shashogo and bonke woredasof the.