1. Snapshots: Selected Equine piroplasmosis and equine infectious anemia cases
Angela Pelzel-Mccluskey, DVM, ms
Equine epidemiologist
Strategy and Policy
Usda-aphis-veterinary services
October 2018

2. Texas: Chechos (aka Potter) - EIA
March 2018 – 4-year-old Andalusian stallion found EIA positive on test for CVI to move to FL.
Horse had been at the facility in TX for a week. “Just passing through”. Only stabled there to get a CVI to move to his owner in FL.
Owner in FL was found incarcerated. Address to which the horse was supposed to move in FL is vacant lot.
Microchip traces to being implanted in Mexico in 2015.
Microchip number and description matches that of a horse (Potter) presented for importation in January 2018, found EIA- positive, and was rejected.
Comparison of import sample and new sample by blood screening and DNA match
IES investigation ongoing

3. Washington: Moreno - EP
August 2017 – Andalusian stallion found EP-positive on testing due to practitioner suspicion
Owner reportedly recently purchased out of southern California.
Registration papers and microchip trace back to Costa Rica.
Suspected to have been illegally moved via Mexico.
IES investigation completed – owner purchased the horse directly from a ranch in Mexico. Owner and his son actively participated in illegal movement of the horse into the U.S.

4. Florida: Musico - EP
May 2018 – Lusitano dressage gelding, showing USEF level dressage around the U.S., advertised as imported directly from Spain in 2015
APHIS-VS received complaint letter from another USEF competitor claiming that Musico is EP-positive and he knows the horse to have been illegally imported via Mexico.
Unable to find import records matching the horse. Pre-import test in Spain for a possible match to the horse was EP-positive in early 2015.
Current owner approached and was unable to provide import records on the horse. Horse was bled and tested EP-positive at NVSL.
IES investigation ongoing.

5. Utah: Looking For Speed - EP
May 2017 – QH race stallion found EP- positive on testing to enter sanctioned track
Owner indicated that he had imported the stallion from Mexico the year prior and that the horse had to undergo a 10 day quarantine before he was allowed entry.
No paperwork given to the owner after import
Search of NVSL database found the horse had been presented at a SBP in Texas when the owner described, was found EP positive at that time and should have been rejected
IES investigation completed: personnel issue

6. Montana: EIA-Positive Herd
October 2017 – 5 horses from dude ranch EIA tested to enter Yellowstone for pack trip; 3 test EIA-positive
Closed herd of home-raised Appaloosas (breeding herd and riding string)
Herd test: 22 of 110 EIA-positive
Ranch had EIA-positives previously in and was quarantined
22 positives and 1 foal of positive mare euthanized; whole herd test negative >60 days after removal of reactors
Whole herd assurance test planned – Nov. 13, 2018
Role of EIA-positive dams in the breeding herd

7. Colorado: EIA-positive
Aug 2018 – EIA-positive found on transfer of ownership/interstate movement test
Horse dealer/slaughter buyer in CO. Horse had already been moved to new owner in WY.
233 trace outs: 149 in CO, 84 horses to 12 other states
Traces had: brand inspections, some EIA tests, few CVIs to receiving states
Origin of the horse still under investigation – may have been from tribal lands in SD
No EIA-positive trace outs to date

8. Multiple Fraudulent Blood Cases
Original submission
Actual positive
Hoochie Corona – T. equi + cELISA 90.1
Honky Tonk Patriot – T. equi + cELISA 91.1
Glens Dashing Snow – T. equi + cELISA 90.6
Stimulus (same premises)
Gouti – T. equi + cELISA 70.9
Istolethegame – T. equi + cELISA 71.5
Istolethegame
3 horses from a single sale barn
on the same day:
all “weak positive” on AGID
Different horse bled
by same sale barn
veterinarian on another
sale day

9. Illinois: CR Ragknot - EIA
May 2018 – EIA-positive found on routine testing
Had moved to IL from TN 3 weeks prior
Raced sanctioned Oklahoma March/April 2017, bushtrack since
Last EIA neg test: Apr 2017, OK
Traceback through TN; trainer had moved to GA
Led to identification of 11 new EP- positive bushtrack racehorses on 2 premises; 4 dual infected with EIA
One of the EP-positives was previously treated and cleared of EP in TN

10. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, DVM, MS
Equine Epidemiologist
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Veterinary Services