UINTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) – Several horses in eastern Utah had to be euthanized after exposure to an incurable virus.
ABC4 daily news: Get the latest Utah news straight to your inbox! Click here to sign up for the free newsletter!
Utah state veterinarian Dean Taylor said five horses had to be euthanized after being exposed to infectious anemia (EIA) while running with a herd in Uintah County.
CONNECTED: Katherine Heigl joins the call to stop the raid and removal of wild Utah horses
Taylor tells ABC4.com that officials have tested numerous other horses that came in contact with the infected animals and those tests came back negative. In 60 days, these horses will be retested to make sure they are still negative for the virus.
Officials are working to collect and test some of the remaining horses that ran with those that tested positive.
According to Taylor, these are feral domestic horses – escape animals, not mustangs.
NEXT: Teenager dies days after receiving COVID-19 vaccine, officials are investigating
At this point, Taylor tells ABC4.com that there is no threat to the state’s equestrian industry.
According to North Carolina State, EIA is a lentivirus – HIV, which causes AIDS, is also a lentivirus. Despite this relationship, EIA does not cause disease in humans.
The infection usually occurs through insect bites, but it can also be transmitted during pregnancy through contaminated needles or from the mare to the foal. Outbreaks typically occur in late summer and early fall.
NEXT: U-Bahn starts menu update and keeps “Premium 100% Tuna”
Since there is no cure, animal experts say horses will wear the EIA for a lifetime.
There are three forms of EIA – acute, chronic, and inapparent. Chronic carries the most serious symptoms, such as decreased appetite, swelling and bleeding.
Comments are closed.