Indiana board issues EIA alert to horse owners

Indianapolis

- Three horses on a south-central Indiana farm recently tested positive for equine infectious leukemia (EIA), prompting the Indiana State Board of Animal Health to issue an alert.

State and federal veterinarians are working with the owner to identify the source of infection and how far it has spread, the board reports. The diseased horses were euthanized; two others in close contact with them tested negative but still are under quarantine.

EIA is an untreatable and incurable vector-borne viral disease that results in death within a month of infection in 30 percent to 50 percent of cases.

Animals infected with EIA must be euthanized or branded and permanently quarantined, the board says. When one case is found, it must be reported, and the remainder of the herd must be tested.

Contact the Indiana board at (317) 227-0320 for more information.