African horse sickness: The potential for an outbreak in disease-free regions and current disease control and elimination techniques.
Abstract: African horse sickness (AHS) is an arboviral disease of equids transmitted by Culicoides biting midges. The virus is endemic in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and official AHS disease-free status can be obtained from the World Organization for Animal Health on fulfilment of a number of criteria. AHS is associated with case fatality rates of up to 95%, making an outbreak among naïve horses both a welfare and economic disaster. The worldwide distributions of similar vector-borne diseases (particularly bluetongue disease of ruminants) are changing rapidly, probably due to a combination of globalisation and climate change. There is extensive evidence that the requisite conditions for an AHS epizootic currently exist in disease-free countries. In particular, although the stringent regulations enforced upon competition horses make them extremely unlikely to redistribute the virus, there are great concerns over the effects of illegal equid movement. An outbreak of AHS in a disease free region would have catastrophic effects on equine welfare and industry, particularly for international events such as the Olympic Games. While many regions have contingency plans in place to manage an outbreak of AHS, further research is urgently required if the equine industry is to avoid or effectively contain an AHS epizootic in disease-free regions. This review describes the key aspects of AHS as a global issue and discusses the evidence supporting concerns that an epizootic may occur in AHS free countries, the planned government responses, and the roles and responsibilities of equine veterinarians.
© 2016 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2016-07-21 PubMed ID: 27292229DOI: 10.1111/evj.12600Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Review
- African Horse Sickness
- Arboviruses
- Culicoides
- Diagnosis
- Disease control
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Disease Outbreaks
- Disease Prevention
- Disease Surveillance
- Disease Treatment
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Infectious Disease
- Public Health
- Vector-borne disease
- Veterinary Medicine
- Virus
Summary
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This research paper discusses the potential for an outbreak of African Horse Sickness (AHS) in previously non-affected (disease-free) regions and the existing measures for controlling and eradicating this disease. With factors such as globalization and climate change potentially altering the spread of similar vector-borne diseases, there is a pressing need to understand and manage the risks of an AHS epidemic that could have catastrophic welfare and economic implications.
African Horse Sickness and its Threat
- African horse sickness (AHS) is a fatal viral disease affecting horses, transmitted through bites from Culicoides midges. This disease is essentially confined to regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
- However, there are eminent concerns about its potential spread to regions free of AHS, triggered partly by the shifting distributions of comparable vector-borne diseases, such as the bluetongue disease in ruminants.
- The stakes are high with AHS due to its extremly high case fatality rates (up to 95%). An outbreak could be detrimental to equine welfare and the associated economy, especially in international contexts like the Olympic Games.
Spread Factors and Global Concerns
- Globalisation and climate change are suspected to influence disease spread, creating conditions suitable for an AHS outbreak in disease-free nations.
- An alarming aspect is the illegal movement of horses, which despite stringent regulations could facilitate viral distribution.
- Obtaining an official AHS disease-free status from the World Organization for Animal Health requires meeting several criteria, highlighting a global response to this health threat.
Controlling AHS and Future Research
- Many regions have contingency plans to manage potential AHS outbreaks. But, the extent of potential damage necessitates further research into effective strategies for containment and possible eradication of this viral disease.
- Equine veterinarians will play a crucial role in devising and implementing control measures, given their proximity to the subject animals and technical expertise on their health.
Understanding AHS as a Global Issue
- The potential for a widespread AHS outbreak calls for global attention and coordinated efforts. Venturing beyond the confines of the regions it is currently seen in, AHS emerges as a global issue.
- The paper urges the incorporation of wider factors such as climate change and globalization in disease management plans, thus posing it as a complex, interconnected problem.
Cite This Article
APA
Robin M, Page P, Archer D, Baylis M.
(2016).
African horse sickness: The potential for an outbreak in disease-free regions and current disease control and elimination techniques.
Equine Vet J, 48(5), 659-669.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12600 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
- NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, University of Liverpool, UK.
MeSH Terms
- African Horse Sickness / epidemiology
- African Horse Sickness / transmission
- Animals
- Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control
- Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
- Horses
Citations
This article has been cited 18 times.- Punyadarsaniya D, Taesuji M, Rattanamas K, Ruenphet S. Establishment of an In-House Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to Detect Antibodies Against African Horse Sickness Based on Monovalent and Polyvalent Live Attenuated Vaccines During the First Outbreak in Thailand. Animals (Basel) 2025 May 15;15(10).
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