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Veterinaria italiana2012; 48(2); 167-178;

Emergence and re-emergence of glanders in India: a description of outbreaks from 2006 to 2011.

Abstract: Glanders, a bacterial disease of equines caused by Burkholderia mallei, is a fatal infectious disease of equines and has zoonotic significance. The disease has been eradicated from many countries by statutory testing, elimination of infected animals and import restrictions. However, it is still endemic in parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America. In India, major glanders outbreaks were reported from different parts of the country between 1976 and 1982. Later, sporadic cases of the disease were reported in 1988, 1990 and 1998. The country remained free of glanders for about eight years until the recent outbreaks occurred in eight States from 2006 to 2007. Recurrent episodes have occurred in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, whereas fresh outbreaks occurred in Chhattisgarh from 2009 to 2010. A total of 164 equines were declared positive; a majority of the positive cases (n=77) were from Uttar Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra (n=23), Uttarakhand (n=21) and Andhra Pradesh (n=16). Under the provision of Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009, all the infected animals were euthanised and bio-security measures were implemented to curb the further spread of the disease.
Publication Date: 2012-06-22 PubMed ID: 22718333
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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This research focuses on the outbreaks of glanders, a lethal infectious bacterial disease affecting horses, which has resurfaced in India between 2006 and 2011.

Context and Overview of Glanders

  • Glanders is a contagious and deadly disease in equines such as horses, caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei. The bacterium also poses a zoonotic risk, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans, causing serious illness.
  • While many countries have eradicated glanders through testing, infected animal elimination, and import restrictions, it still exists in parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America.

Glanders in India: History and Recent Outbreaks

  • India experienced several major outbreaks of glanders from 1976 to 1982, and then occasional cases in 1988, 1990, and 1998. After a roughly eight-year period with no reports of the disease, outbreaks occurred in eight different states from 2006 to 2007.
  • The study mentions that the disease re-emerged in Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh states, while new outbreaks occurred in the state of Chhattisgarh from 2009 to 2010.

Incidence and Response to Outbreaks

  • A total of 164 equine cases were identified across the country, with the majority in Uttar Pradesh (n=77), followed by Maharashtra (n=23), Uttarakhand (n=21), and Andhra Pradesh (n=16).
  • The Indian authorities euthanised all the infected animals as per the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animals Act, 2009, and implemented bio-security measures to prevent the disease from spreading further.

Significance of the Study

  • This study underscores the challenge posed by glanders in India, a country where the disease had been believed to have been eliminated. The re-emergence of glanders raises questions about current disease control strategies and underlines the need for enhanced surveillance and efficient biosecurity measures.

Cite This Article

APA
Malik P, Singha H, Khurana SK, Kumar R, Kumar S, Raut AA, Riyesh T, Vaid RK, Virmani N, Singh BK, Pathak SV, Parkale DD, Singh B, Pandey SB, Sharma TR, Chauhan BC, Awasthi V, Jain S, Singh RK. (2012). Emergence and re-emergence of glanders in India: a description of outbreaks from 2006 to 2011. Vet Ital, 48(2), 167-178.

Publication

ISSN: 1828-1427
NlmUniqueID: 0201543
Country: Italy
Language: English
Volume: 48
Issue: 2
Pages: 167-178

Researcher Affiliations

Malik, Praveen
  • National Research Centre on Equines, Sirsa Road, Hisar-125001, Haryana, India. malikphisar@hotmail.com
Singha, Harisankar
    Khurana, Sandip K
      Kumar, Rajender
        Kumar, Sanjay
          Raut, Ajay A
            Riyesh, Thachamvally
              Vaid, Rajesh K
                Virmani, Nitin
                  Singh, Birendra K
                    Pathak, Shivroop V
                      Parkale, Dhananjay D
                        Singh, Bhoodev
                          Pandey, Sur B
                            Sharma, Tilak R
                              Chauhan, Bhag C
                                Awasthi, Vivek
                                  Jain, Sanjay
                                    Singh, Raj K

                                      MeSH Terms

                                      • Animals
                                      • Disease Outbreaks
                                      • Glanders / diagnosis
                                      • Glanders / epidemiology
                                      • Horses
                                      • India / epidemiology
                                      • Time Factors

                                      Citations

                                      This article has been cited 16 times.
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