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More cases of swamp fever in Ireland

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  • 28-07-2006 10:24pm
    #1
    EGAR
    Registered Users Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭


    28 July 2006

    Three new swamp fever cases not a surprise, says department

    By Ray Ryan, Agribusiness Correspondent
    A FURTHER three cases of swamp fever in horses have been identified in Ireland.


    They bring the number of confirmed cases of Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA), as the fever is properly known, to 12 since June.

    But the Department of Agriculture and Food said yesterday the latest cases had been identified as high-risk horses because of their contact with earlier positive cases.

    It said the new cases didn’t come as any surprise. They were all related to last weekend’s four cases and earlier cases, and their confirmation does not change the current situation.

    The department has restricted 13 individual premises as well as a further 280 individual horses based on premises which are not restricted.

    It said the premises associated with yesterday’s cases had previously been restricted as a result of their association with cases confirmed last weekend.

    The department is continuing to identify and trace all in-contact horses. It has received in excess of 2,300 test results which hadn’t identified any more than the 12 cases of EIA.

    The department said it is imposing an onerous testing regime on restricted horses, particularly those identified as being high-risk because of their close contact with positive cases.

    Such an approach was an essential part of containing this outbreak and was in the interests of all concerned with the Irish bloodstock industry.

    The department said it would, with immediate effect, make a contribution towards the costs of sampling, and would pay for the testing of samples where this is required as a consequence of a premises and/or horse being restricted.

    Fine Gael’s Denis Naughten TD said with over 10,000 foals born in this country each year and the horse breeding industry worth €330 million per annum, it is imperative that every possible step is taken to restrict the spread of the disease and ensure its complete eradication from this country.

    Experts say EIA is an animal health issue with no implications for public health and is not easily transmitted from animal to animal.


    Roll on, Galway Races :(:(


Comments

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    #2
    Strokesfan
    Registered Users Posts: 575 ✭✭✭Strokesfan


    Swamp Fever! sounds horrific - does it transfer to humans!?


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    #3
    EGAR
    Registered Users Posts: 2,874 ✭✭✭EGAR


    No, it doesn't but there is no cure for the infected horse and it is transmitted by biting insects such as horse fly and midges. Money talks as usual as there is much at stake for the racing industry. There should be a blanket ban on race meetings until this is brought under control but I think this is never going to happen until it's too late.


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