Contagious Equine Metritis |
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On December 15, 2008, the State of Kentucky confirmed a case of contagious equine metritis (CEM) in a quarter horse stallion on a central Kentucky premises. A total of eight stallions have now been confirmed as positive for CEM by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories. Four of the infected stallions are located in Kentucky, three are in Indiana, and one is in Wisconsin. The Indiana stallions spent time on the central Kentucky premises during the 2008 breeding season. The Wisconsin stallion was not in Kentucky, but was co-located during the 2007 breeding season in Wisconsin with one of the CEM-positive stallions that was on the Kentucky premises in 2008.
In addition to the 8 positive stallions, the locations of 326 exposed horses have also been confirmed. The total of 334 horses includes 43 stallions and 291 mares located in a total of 39 States. The 43 positive or exposed stallions are located in 11 States, and the 291 exposed mares are in 37 States. There are 43 additional exposed mares still actively being traced.
All CEM-positive horses, and all exposed horses that have been located, are currently under quarantine or hold order. Testing and treatment protocols are being put into action for all located horses.
An exposed horse is one that was bred to a CEM-positive horse, either naturally or via artificial insemination, or one that is otherwise epidemiologically linked to a CEM-positive horse, as determined by State and Federal animal health officials.
What is CEM?
Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) is a sexually transmitted disease among horses caused by a bacteria Taylorella equigenitalis. Clinical signs may include a mucopurulent vaginal discharge in up to 40% of affected mares, abortion and infertility. Stallions typically show no clinical signs. Stallions and mares can become chronic carriers of CEM and be sources of infection for future outbreaks. The transmission rate is high and naturally occurs by mating, but contaminated instruments and equipment may be an indirect source of infecting mares and stallions. The bacteria can also be spread via semen collected for artificial insemination.
What happens to CEM positive horses?
CEM can be treated with disinfectants and antibiotics. CEM-positive mares, and mares from CEM-positive countries, are required to go through a treatment protocol and remain in quarantine for no less than 21 days. Stallions that have CEM or come from a CEM-positive country are required to remain quarantined until a treatment protocol is completed and they test negative for the disease.
In the News |
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Jan 13, 2009 Stallion in Wisconsin Tests Positive for CEM; Animal Health Authorities Checking for Other Exposed Mares, Stallions
Jan 7, 2009 Wisconsin Horses Quarantined, Will Be Tested After Exposure to Reproductive Disease
Jan 7, 2009 Colorado Horse Being Tested for Equine Disease
Jan 7, 2009 Montana Mare Quarantined for CEM
Jan 5, 2009 Texas Among 27 States Testing Horses for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM)
Jan 5, 2009 Horse Disease Could Affect Oklahoma Breeders
Dec 31, 2008 Three Indiana Horses Test Positive for Contagious Equine Metritis
Dec 30, 2008 North Dakota Mare Exposed to Disease
Dec 23, 2008 State Veterinarian Quarantines Virginia Farms Due to Contagious Equine Metritis
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Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Last Modified: January 14, 2009