Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is caused by an equid-specific lentivirus in the retrovirus family, with infection being characterized by three distinct forms: actue, chronic, and inappparent. EIA is a blood borne pathogen whereby blood feeding insects most commonly spread the disease via mechanical transfer of infective blood between horses that are in close proximity. Tabanids, horseflies, and deer flies appear to be the most efficient vectors. The incubation period ranges from 10 to 45 days typically, with a peak viremia often occurring during a febrile episode before the horse becomes test positive. Often, clinicial signs during the acute phase of the diease may go unrecognized, particularly in horses on pasture. As the EIA virus appears to be persistent for life, infection may only be noted after routine surveillance testing for the disease, or when the horse develops recurring bouts of fever accompanied by marked platelet reductions, petechial hemorrhages, anemia, depression, weight loss, cachexia, and dependant edema.

There are several Kansas laboratories approved to conduct the ELISA test or AGID test for EIA. Recently, common mistakes have been made in the completion of required laboratory submission forms, specifically the VS Form 10-11. Only accredited veterinarians are approved to collect and submit samples for EIA, therefore, complete box number 5 on the VS Form 10-11 with the practitioner’s National Accreditation Number or License Number. Secondly, it is of vital importance to accurately draw the horse’s markings AND fill the narrative description and remarks on the form. If the horse is solid colored with no distinct markings, look for whorls and mark them on the form with an '@' sign. In the narrative section, simply write “no markings” in each respective box for the head, left forelimb, right forelimb, etc.  

Many vets now use electronic EIA submission forms and attach digital photographs of the horse. Please double and TRIPLE check the information you have completed for a specific submission PRIOR to submitting the form electronically to the laboratory. The Area Office has had multiple instances where a practitioner or a client will identify an issue with the paperwork after the results have been reported out; the wrong picture was attached, the horse’s age/color is incorrect, etc. Once the laboratory completes the test and records the Accession Number into the electronic record, that record becomes LOCKED and is no longer editable. The record is thus incorrect, uneditable, unofficial and may not be distributed. While some innocent form completion mistakes can be managed, the electronic locked record often requires the animal to be sampled again and a new record submitted – you start over from scratch. 

The USDA’s website concerning EIA, http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/eia/ contains valuable information pertaining to the Uniform Methods and Rules for EIA, distribution maps for the disease across the United States, as well as information and instructions pertaining to the proper completion of the VS Form 10-11.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Brian Archer or the USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services Area Office in Topeka at (785) 270-1300.

National Veterinary Accreditation Program

For vets participating in the National Veterinary Accreditation Program, please use the six-digit, national accreditation number (NAN) on all official animal health documents, including certificates of veterinary inspection, test records, vaccination charts, etc. Please include all six digits, including any zeros at the beginning of the number.

In addition, Kansas APHIS personnel have been working to provide the APHIS-approved supplemental training (AAST) modules to accredited veterinarians across the state at various venues. Category I Accredited Veterinarians must complete 3 units of AAST to renew their accreditation, and Category II Accredited Veterinarians must complete 6 units. AAST may be completed free of charge on-line or at participating veterinary meetings and conventions. In lieu of the free training offerings, veterinarians wishing to purchase printed materials may do so by using the Supplemental Training Materials Order Form found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/nvap. Each module of AAST represents one unit of training, and takes approximately one hour to complete. Contact the Kansas Area Office at (785) 270-1300 for more information. 

The Kansas Health Alert Network (KS-HAN) is a secure, web-based electronic communication system that enables local and state health and safety entities to share public and environmental health information rapidly. The system allows users to send, receive and discuss information of public and environmental health importance in a secure environment. It also allows for the rapid notification of all users in an emergency, when the timely distribution of recommendations on investigation, prevention and treatment is critical. KS-HAN is part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) national Public Health Information Network (PHIN).

KS-HAN contains more than 3,000 participants from local health departments, hospitals, emergency medical services, state agencies, private and public health laboratories and other first responders across the state. However, very few veterinarians are currently participating. Veterinarians are a crucial component of public health and are considered subject matter experts in variety of areas including food safety, infectious diseases, and environmental health. As a trusted healthcare professional in your community you may receive questions from clients and human healthcare professionals on a variety of topics. As a participant in the KS-HAN you will receive alerts on disease outbreaks and advisories which can help you, and your clients, be prepared. Last year, participants received an average of 13 alerts. Below are examples of actual alerts sent during 2011-2012;

Disease Alerts and Updates:
• Pertussis
• Measles
• Infant Chronobacter Infections
• Novel Influenza A(H3H2) Infections
• Illegal drug-Krokodil
• Elevated Risk for Invasive Listeriosis
• KDHE Joins FDA, CDC in warning about Rocky Ford Cantaloupes
• Information regarding recalled 5-and-7 layer bean dip contamination
• Harmful algae bloom in Atchison County
• Potential Hepatitis C exposure in a healthcare setting

Advisories:
• KDHE Receives New CDC Recommendations for TB Treatment
• Iowa Reports Novel Influenza Infections in three children (this was a true Swine-Origin influenza virus)

KS-HAN can send an email and/or text alert to your cell phone, or even a fax alert. Once you have enrolled in KS-HAN, you will continue to receive alerts and advisories as long as you update your password, which must be done every 90 days.

To participate in KS-HAN, please email your name, business name, work phone number, job title or description to kshanadmin@kdheks.gov
For more information on KS-HAN, contact Gilbert Tabares gtabares@kdheks.gov  at 785-296-3380.