Equine influenza: Links with equine groups essential for disease preparedness
The New Zealand Equine Health Association and New Zealand Racing Board play key roles in MAF Biosecurity New Zealand's equine influenza response and preparedness work.
In August 2007, equine influenza was confirmed in New South Wales and Queensland. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) immediately initiated a response in New Zealand, as a number of horses had arrived from Australia during a period when equine influenza may have been present in Australia prior to detection.
As part of the first stages of the response, MAFBNZ contacted the New Zealand Equine Health Association (NZEHA) to serve an advisory role. For several years before this outbreak, the NZEHA sought to develop a pest management strategy for equine influenza; their expertise on this disease and insight into the equine-owning population in New Zealand were regarded as invaluable.
MAFBNZ's investigation of the imported horses confirmed that none had equine influenza. The immediate closure of the borders to further horse imports from Australia and other border biosecurity measures ensured that, to date, New Zealand has successfully kept the disease out of the country.
Equine influenza has the potential to cause significant economic impacts on the equine community through its direct effects on equine health, and through its associated effects such as the cancellation of events and stringent movement controls needed to contain the disease. The equine community through the NZEHA has a recognised voice within MAFBNZ. The broad mandate of the group is of particular benefit to MAFBNZ as they represent the large proportion of horses in New Zealand that are not part of the racing industry. To strengthen its ties to MAFBNZ, the NZEHA has joined with the New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB) to form a Crisis Management Group.
To further improve preparedness around equine influenza, a number of MAFBNZ's Animal Response Team and Investigation and Diagnostic Centre staff were seconded to Australia to assist with equine influenza response activities (see separate articles on pages 8 and 15). This real-life experience of dealing with an equine influenza outbreak confirmed how very important it is to engage with a broad representation of the equine sector in decision making. The long-standing interaction between MAFBNZ and the NZEHA has given that group a profile and their mandate from the equine community has been strengthened by their involvement in the NZRB Crisis Management Group.
MAFBNZ is currently working with the NZRB Crisis Management Group to advance previous attempts to update information about the greater horse population of New Zealand in AgriBase, the database used to organise response activities in the event of disease outbreaks. The NZRB Crisis Management Group has also spearheaded several projects to promote preparedness for an outbreak of equine influenza, including an educational seminar series on biosecurity procedures for equine veterinarians and the staff of the larger equine enterprises.
- Naya Brangenberg, Adviser Animal Response, Post Border Directorate, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand,naya.brangenberg@maf.govt.nz
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Page last updated: 30 April 2008