[Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)].

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a dangerous disease affecting horses and related species, caused by a specific type of virus and transmitted primarily through blood-sucking insects. The study aims to present the potential risks of this disease in Switzerland, which currently has no cases but remains at risk due to reports in surrounding European countries.

About Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)

• EIA is a contagious disease impacting equine species such as horses, donkeys, and mules. It is caused by a lentivirus belonging to the retrovirus family.
• The disease is of significant concern as it’s reportable (needs to be reported to agricultural or health authorities), potentially eradicable, and has a global presence.
• Transmission of EIA mainly occurs through blood, specifically via blood-sucking insects.

Symptoms and Diagnosis of EIA

• Horses infected with EIA can exhibit a range of symptoms including fevers, lack of energy, weight loss, anemia, swelling (edemas), and small red or purple spots on the skin (petechiae).
• However, some horses do not show any visible signs despite being infected, thus becoming inapparent carriers of the disease — a challenge for disease control.
• For diagnosing EIA, serological tests are used. The Coggins test and the ELISA tests are the most common ones, which detect antibodies in the blood produced in response to the virus.

Situation in Switzerland

• Despite currently being officially free from EIA, Switzerland is continually at risk of the disease due to its presence in various European countries.
• This implies that continuous surveillance, reporting, and preventive measures are necessary to keep the equine population in Switzerland safe from EIA.