Getting Vets up to speed on Equine Influenza

Workshop participants learning the measures needed to avoid spreading the equine influenza when they are moving between properties. Photo: Kylee Walker
Workshop participants learning the
measures needed to avoid spreading the
equine influenza when they are moving
between properties.
Photo: Kylee Walker

Australia currently has outbreaks of equine influenza in New South Wales and Queensland, and with these cases occurring so close to home it has been timely to revisit biosecurity procedures for protecting New Zealand's equine industry.

Equine influenza can be readily spread between properties by fomite transmission (carried on inanimate objects). These agents can include veterinary equipment and clothing, so veterinarians are among those who need to take precautions to reduce this risk.

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) held a series of workshops for equine veterinary practitioners in December 2007 to discuss the biosecurity procedures that would be employed if there was an equine influenza outbreak in our country.

The workshops were conducted by Incursion Investigators Caleb King, Kylee Walker, Andy McFadden and Tom Rawdon from the MAFBNZ Investigation and Diagnostic Centre – Wallaceville. Most of this group had been seconded to help the epidemiological teams in New South Wales and Queensland manage the outbreaks of equine influenza there (see separate article on page 8).

Workshops were held in Auckland, Cambridge, Matamata, Palmerston North, Invercargill and Christchurch, with about 100 people attending in total.

The workshops were supported by the New Zealand Racing Board; New Zealand Equine Veterinary Association; New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing; Harness Racing New Zealand; Equestrian Sports New Zealand and the New Zealand Equine Industry Training Organisation.

Staff from AsureQuality also participated. They will in turn train other equine industry members (groomers, trainers, farriers, etc) in appropriate on-farm biosecurity procedures.

Each workshop featured a seminar on aspects of the Australian outbreak. This included the epidemiological findings that have shaped the biosecurity measures New Zealand equine veterinarians would need to adopt in the event of an outbreak, and the main components of the eradication plan MAFBNZ would put in place.

Following a presentation on biosecurity protocols, participants had a go at enacting the on- and off-farm cleaning and disinfection procedures necessary to stop the spread of infection to other properties.

In a genuine equine influenza response, veterinarians may be recruited to visit properties for disease surveillance; this would include clinical examinations of horses, sample collection (mostly nasal swabs) and obtaining history and tracing information. If vaccination became part of the response plan, vets would be visiting properties to carry this out as well.

The equine influenza virus is easily killed but can be transferred by fomites, especially clothing, so the main procedures involve the use of disposable overalls and gloves and disinfection of equipment and boots.

The suggested protocol is to use a tarpaulin with a centre-line to separate 'clean' and 'dirty' areas to aid with disinfecting when coming off a farm.

Although we are not facing an outbreak situation in New Zealand, there are important things equine veterinarians can do now to help while interacting with horse owners and other industry members:

  • promoting the principles of farm-level biosecurity
  • promoting prompt reporting of suspect cases through the MAFBNZ hotline number 0800 80 99 66
  • encouraging horse owners to register their properties with Agribase.

Agribase is a farm and livestock database maintained by AsureQuality that will provide us with valuable information about horse numbers and locations to aid decision making in the event of an outbreak. One of the lessons learnt from the Australian outbreak is that it is vital to know where the horses are for any response planning.

We are grateful to the veterinarians and other industry members who participated in the seminars and showed their willingness to play their part to protect our equine industries.

To register properties on Agribase:

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Page last updated: 30 April 2008