EIA Confirmed in Saskatchewan

HEALTH ALERT: Positive Case of Equine Infectious Anemia Confirmed in Saskatchewan

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Below are details pertaining to a newly identified Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)-affected premises in the province of Saskatchewan. Please note that this information is in addition to what the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) already communicates to stakeholders which includes:

• Notification to the relevant provincial veterinary service of any newly affected premises
• Monthly Federally Reportable Disease updates on the CFIA website (10th of each month) which includes the number of affected premises as well as individual animal cases
• Communications with the owners or persons directly involved in the case, as outlined in the current EIA program policy

On July 20, 2018 a positive EIA result was confirmed by the CFIA’s national reference laboratory for a horse on a premises in the rural municipality of Great Bend, Saskatchewan. The horse had been sampled by an accredited veterinarian to satisfy a pre-entry requirement for a particular premises. Initial reports indicate that this horse has travelled extensively within the province for both work and competition. 

No clinical signs of disease were noted at the time of sampling. A CFIA investigation is underway and as per program policy, a quarantine has been placed on the infected animal and its on-premises contact animals. The quarantine will remain until all disease response activities have been completed, including follow-up testing and ordering the destruction of positive cases. 

Trace-out activities may require the CFIA to undertake actions at additional premises as outlined in the current program policy.

More details on EIA may be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website.