African horse sickness is endemic or occurs in all parts of africa south of the sahara but epidemics have spread further north to egypt, the middle east and spain. African horse sickness 1959 when it spread to iran and pakistan 17. There are nine ahsv serotypes with significant genomic differences. The african horse sickness control strategy was developed by a working group chaired by the horse trust, and involving the equine industry, research organisations, defra and the devolved. May 15, 2009 analyses of outbreaks of african horse sickness showed that movement of infected culicoides midges on the wind was most likely responsible for the spread of the disease over the sea from morocco to spain in 1966, from turkey to cyprus in 1960, and from senegal to the cape verde islands in 1943. African horse sickness 9 page laboratory confirmation the epidemiology, clinical signs and gross lesions of ahs are often sufficiently specific to allow a provisional diagnosis of the disease to be made. Aetiology epidemiology diagnosis prevention and control references aetiology classification of the causative agent equine piroplasmosis ep is a tickborne disease of horses caused by the intraerytrocytic protozoan parasites babesia caballi and theileria equi of the order piroplasmida. Midges of the culicoides species transmit the disease. African horse sickness, ahs ist eine virale infektionskrankheit bei pferden.
African horse sickness, equine viral arteritis, equine infectious anaemia, chronic. Learn about the veterinary topic of african horse sickness. Find specific details on this topic and related topics from the merck vet manual. It is the responsibility of every owner or manager of equids, all veterinarians working with equids and transporters of equids in south. African horse sickness virus ahsv belongs to the genus orbivirus in the family reoviridae and is transmitted by culicoides species midges, of which c. African horse sickness ahs is a peracute, acute, subacute or mild infectious but noncontagious disease of equids caused by african horse sickness virus ahsv. Area adjustment ahs free zone permission for vaccination will only be given from 1 june to 31 october each year. Martinson, in pathologic basis of veterinary disease sixth edition, 2017. African horse sickness ahs is a serious arthropodborne viral disease of equids, with a mortality rate that can. Disease bioinformatics research of african horse sickness has been linked to bluetongue, virus diseases, hemorrhagic disorders, horse diseases, reoviridae infections. It is classified as an orbivirus of the reoviridae family of which there are 9 serotypes. While unidentified viruses pose serious challenges for the prediction of epidemiology and pathogenicity carpenter and others 20, perhaps the greatest concern in europe currently surrounds the potential for the emergence of a wellknown culicoides borne arbovirus, african horse sickness virus ahsv. African importance horse sickness perdesiekte, pestis equorum, peste equina, peste equina africana last updated. African horse sickness food safety european commission.
African horse sickness is transmitted by insects known as midges. About african horse sickness what is african horse sickness. Overview of african horse sickness merck veterinary manual. Australia has not recorded any outbreaks of african horse sickness, which is caused by an insecttransmitted virus. Classification of the causative agent resistance to. An african horse sickness is a highly disease is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas of fatal insect born viral disease of horses, mules and africa south of the sahara, occupying abroad band generally subclinical diseases in other equidae. African horse sickness ahs is a noncontagious viral disease affecting all species of equidae. Preliminary outbreak assessments for african horse sickness in horses in south africa. It is characterized by signs of lung and circulatory system impairment. Classification of the causative agent resistance to physical.
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. Animals that recover from african horse sickness develop good immunity to the infecting serotype and partial immunity to other serotypes. Possible spread of african horse sickness on the wind. The merck veterinary manual african horse sickness clinical findings and lesions. It is caused by one or more of the nine different serotypes of an orbivirus of the family reoviridae. African horse sickness ahs is endemic in subsaharan africa. Etiology african horse sickness s epidemiology african horse. Pdf this is the first case of african horse sickness ahs in a dog where there was no apparent ingestion of horse meat. Fever lasting 3 to 8 days mild anorexia or depression african. Ahs not contagious transmitted by biting midges cul ico des spp strictly seasonal in southern africa introduction invariably associated with movement of infected animal. The document is structured with the following broad sections that follow events as they might. The study of african horse sickness has been mentioned in research publications which can be found using our bioinformatics tool below. The virus is transmitted between horses primarily by midge bites and occasionally by mosquitoes and ticks.
The ahsv genome consists of 10 segments of doublestranded rna dsrna collectively encoding seven structural proteins and four nonstructural proteins. It is thought that mosquitoes, biting flies, the camel tick, and dog tick may also transmit the disease. African horse sickness ahs is a highly infectious and deadly disease of equidae horses, donkeys, mules, and zebra caused by the african horse sickness virus which is a virus of. Structural protein vp2 of african horse sickness virus is not. Horse sickness fever mortality70 95% of infected horseszebras or african donkeys asymptomaticmules and hybrids intermediate introduction. Mar 27, 2018 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. African horse sickness horse owners merck veterinary manual. This disease is endemic to subsaharan africa, however outbreaks have been seen in egypt, the middle east and southern arabia. The african horse sickness vaccination season runs from june to october each year. Complete genome sequences of four african horse sickness.
To confirm the diagnosis, the virus should be isolated. Pdf occurrence of african horse sickness in a domestic dog. A postmortem being carried out on a filly that died of a peracute case dunkop of ahs. African horse sickness ahs is a hemorrhagic viral fever of horses. The disease affects horses, ponies, and european donkeys most severely. It is caused by a virus of the genus orbivirus belonging to the family reoviridae. This is a noncontagious viral disease that affects all equidae horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, zebras and other hybrids. Evolutionary relationships among the gnattransmitted orbiviruses that cause african horse sickness, bluetongue, and epizootic hemorrhagic disease as evidenced by their capsid protein sequences. The spread of the disease is similar to bluetongue, in that it is not directly contagious between horses as it is influenced by climatic conditions which favour the spread of carrier. 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. African horse sickness horse owners merck veterinary. Bluetongue, schmallenberg virus african horse sickness. Dec 19, 2012 the african horse sickness control strategy was developed by a working group chaired by the horse trust, and involving the equine industry, research organisations, defra and the devolved.
African horse sickness caused by genome reassortment and. African horse sickness is a shortterm insectborne viral disease of equids horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras that is widespread in africa. The orbivirus genus of the reoviridae family contains african horse sickness virus ahsv, bluetongue virus, and. African horse sickness in horses vetlexicon equis from. Aetiology epidemiology diagnosis prevention and control. African horse sickness, in merck veterinary manual, national publishing inc.
African horse sickness 971 words exact match in snippet view article find links to article press release. African horse sickness is a highly fatal and infectious disease, which affects horses, mules, donkeys and zebras. February 2015 serotype into an area may result in outbreaks. African horse sickness ahs is a highly infectious, noncontagious, vectorborne viral disease affecting all species of equidae. Pdf detection of african horse sickness virus antibodies by elisa. African horse sickness ahs is a disease caused by the african horse sickness virus ahsv. African horse sickness perdesiekte at the end of this article is the treatment for horse sickness. Ahs surveillance zone permission for vaccination will only. Learn about the veterinary topic of overview of african horse sickness. African horse sickness in horses in south africa gov. African horse sickness ahs, 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 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. African horse sickness results from infection with the african horse sickness virus ahsv, a member of the genus orbivirus in the family reoviridae. Analyses of outbreaks of african horse sickness showed that movement of infected culicoides midges on the wind was most likely responsible for the spread of the disease over the sea from morocco to spain in 1966, from turkey to cyprus in 1960, and from senegal to. African horse sickness is caused by a virus of the family reoviridae.
African horse sickness ahs is a highly infectious noncontagious, vector born viral disease affecting all species of equidae. Overview of african horse sickness msd veterinary manual. African horse sickness, swelling of supraorbital fossa african horse sickness ahs is an insectborne, viral disease of equids that is endemic to subsaharan africa. African horse sickness ahs is an insectborne, viral disease of equids that is endemic to subsaharan africa. The disease is characterised by alterations in respiratory and circulatory functions. Aradaib i e 2009 pcr detection of african horse sickness virus serogroup based on genome segment three sequence analysis. Although horses are only symptomatic from 48 days the virus can live in the blood for as long as 21 days. The african horse sickness wales regulations 20 provide the legal powers to allow the control of african horse sickness ahs.
There are nine serotypes of african horse sickness. It is considered a major health threat for horses in endemic areas in subsaharan africa. African horse sickness virus ahsv is a viral disease transmitted by the biting midge. African horse sickness ahs is a highly infectious and deadly disease caused by african horse sickness virus. There are nine serotypes of this virus, and while some serotypes are crossprotective e. It can be acute, subacute, or subclinical and is characterized by clinical signs and lesions associated with respiratory and circulatory impairment. The african horse sickness scotland order 2012 and. An african horse sickness is a highly disease is endemic in tropical and subtropical areas of fatal insect born viral disease of horses, mules and africa south of the sahara, occupying abroad band generally subclinical diseases in. The disease has only been found in africa, but since 1987 has recurred in spain and portugal. Trypanosomiasis circulatory system merck veterinary manual. Sop manual 12 african horse sickness etiology and ecology 1. It is characterized by respiratory and circulatory damage. Overview of african horse sickness generalized conditions.
African horse sickness ahs is an infectious disease of equines caused by one of the nine serotypes of orbivirus. 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. African horse sickness ahs is caused by a virus of the family reoviridae of the. African horse sickness ahs is an arthropodborne equine disease caused by african horse sickness virus ahsv genus orbivirus, family reoviridae. African horse sickness ahs is a highly infectious and deadly disease caused by african horse. African horse sickness an overview sciencedirect topics.
During the 1996 summer season januaryapril in south africa an estimated 500 horses died of african horse sickness ahs. In mules, the mortality rate is approximately 50%, and in european and asian donkeys, 5% to 10%. This disease is endemic to subsaharan africa, however outbreaks have been seen in. 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. This vectorborne, viral disease affects all members of the equidae family.
African horse sickness ahs is an acute or subacute noncontagious viral. African horse sickness ahs is a noncontagious infectious viral disease. Reoviridae, of which there are nine serotypes, all transmitted by. African horse sickness the center for food security and public. There are 9 antigenically distinct serotypes of ahs virus ahsv identified by virus neutralization, but some. 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. These can be a reservoir of infection for the disease. It affects horses, donkeys and mules and also is present subclinically in zebras and african donkeys. African horse sickness ahs is a devastating disease of equids caused by an arthropodborne virus belonging to the reoviridae family, genus orbivirus. African horse sickness is a highly infectious, noncontagious, insecttransmitted disease affecting all species of equidae. The disease, which is not usually fatal to indigenous zebra herds, is often.