EP Surveillance Activities in Florida 

 

 

Leroy M. Coffman, DVM, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Florida’s Equine Piroplasmosis [EP] control program was born out of necessity and continues for the same reasons today.  The outbreak of EP in Florida started in 1962 lasted through 1971 and resulted in a costly battle to eradicate the disease from the state and from spreading to other states.  It took some 10 years and cost state and federal governments over 7 million dollars.

Florida remains an “at risk” state for EP on two major fronts; the international movement of horses and the imports from Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

 

Because Florida remains a “high risk” state, several EP disease control and surveillance programs have been implemented to prevent the disease from becoming established in the state again.  There are numerous ongoing and current activities being conducted by the FDACS, Division of Animal Industry.

 

Ongoing program activities include:

• Monitoring the release of equine released from USDA, Animal Improve Centers;

• Monitoring all horses imported from PR/USVI;

• Tick Collection/Submissions and Identification;

Current program activities include:

• 1990-2000 - Research - Case study/risk analysis of B.equi positive horses;

• 2001-2002 - Draft protocol developed to standardize EP quarantine, treatment and tick control;

• 2002 - EP sero-prevalence study of Florida resident horses;

Florida continues to treat EP as a serious threat to its valuable equine population and encourages other states, as well as, USDA, APHIS, VS to join in this effort.  There are various items regarding EP that need to be address at a national level:

• Develop standard protocols for quarantine, treatment and epidemiological investigations of EP positive horses;

• Study effectiveness of current treatment protocols.  Work with FDA regarding making the large animal pharmaceutical, Imidicarb, available for use in the US;

• Expand sero-prevalence studies;

• Continue case studies and risk analysis of EP positive horses;

• Develop risk management strategies for handling B.equi carrier horses;

• Initiate EP educational awareness efforts directed to the equine industry and veterinary practitioners;

• Enhance tick surveillance measures at reptile and exotic import facilities as well as other sites where exotic animals and reptiles are exhibited;

• Study the vector potential of native ticks under field conditions.