Contagious Equine Metritis |
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On December 15, 2008, the State of Kentucky confirmed that a quarter horse stallion on a central Kentucky premises was positive for Taylorella equigenitalis, the bacterium that causes contagious equine metritis (CEM). A total of 11 stallions have now been confirmed as positive for T. equigenitalis by USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL). In addition to the positive stallions, three mares have been found positive for T. equigenitalis by the NVSL. The positive stallions are located in four States: three in Indiana, four in Kentucky, one in Texas, and three in Wisconsin. The positive mares are located in three States: one in California, one in Illinois, and one in Wisconsin. None of the positive horses have yet been identified as the source of the outbreak; the epidemiologic investigation continues to pursue all available information relative to determining the origin of this outbreak, but no conclusions can yet be drawn.
All four positive stallions now located in Kentucky were on the central Kentucky premises during the 2008 breeding season. The Texas and Indiana stallions also spent time on the Kentucky premises during 2008. The Wisconsin stallions were not in Kentucky, but all were co-located during at least one breeding season in Wisconsin with a positive stallion that was on the Kentucky premises in 2008. The positive Wisconsin mare was bred by a positive stallion in Wisconsin. The positive mares in Illinois and California were each bred by artificial insemination with semen from a positive stallion, but not from the same stallion.
In addition to the 11 positive stallions and 3 positive mares, locations have also been confirmed for 609 additional horses exposed to T. equigenitalis. The 623 horses are located in 45 States. There are 86 exposed or positive stallions in 17 States and 537 exposed or positive mares in 44 States. One exposed horse, a mare, is still actively being traced.
All 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.
Five exposed stallions have now completed their entire testing and treatment protocol and been determined to be negative for T. equigenitalis, and another 40 exposed stallions were negative on their initial sampling cultures but have additional testing requirements to complete before being declared free of the bacterium. A total of 188 exposed mares have completed their testing and treatment protocol and are negative for T. equigenitalis.
An exposed horse is one that was bred to a positive horse, either naturally or via artificial insemination, or one that is otherwise epidemiologically linked to a 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 15, 2009 CEM-Infected Stallion Confirmed in Texas
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: March 3, 2009