Equine infectious anemia

Question 1

What family

Answer 1

Retroviridae; lifelong and uses reverse transcriptase

Question 2

Details and transmission

Answer 2

Noncontagious, have acute, chronic, inapparent carrier (most common) forms. Contaminated needles or blood feeding insects (iatrogenic or mechanical resp). Virus doesn’t replicate within insect vector (horse or deer fly)

Question 3

What’s important about iatrogenic transmission?

Answer 3

Humans are the most severe way because the blood potential is greater, virus survives longer on needles, can be transmitted long distances.

Question 4

What is the replication?

Answer 4

Infects monocytes and macrophages, replicates in those rich tissues. Direct relationship between presence and severity of clinical signs and amount of virus present. Incubation period is 15-45+ days.

Question 5

Signs and diagnosis?

Answer 5

Thrombocytopenia characteristic.

Question 6

What are the three stages?

Answer 6

Acute: mild or severe disease. Chronic: febrile, thrombocytopenia, anemia, edema, weakness, weight loss. Inapparent character: reservoir. Clinically affected animals transfer virus more

Question 7

What’s unique about this virus?

Answer 7

Genetically changes between each febrile episode. Vector, environment, virus, host all factor into the infection

Question 8

What is the diagnosis?

Answer 8

When horses have weight loss, progressive weakness, edema, anemia, fever. Antibody detection with the Coggins test. May only be submitted by accredited vet. to be conducted in USDA lab.

Question 9

What’s unique about the structure?

Answer 9

Gp90 and 45 are variable and the core p26 is conserved

Question 10

Treatment

Answer 10

None and no vaccine, affected horses kept 200 yrds away from others and permanently identified. Euthanasia or lifelong quarantine. Contact state vet if suspected or if positive test-REPORTABLE.

Question 11

What are control measures?

Answer 11

Vector control and avoiding use of contaminated needles and other equipment.