It took months of negotiations to clear the road to the 1996
Olympic equestrian events in Conyers, Ga.
And all that debate was over an organism too tiny to see that
carries a big name — equine piroplasmosis (Babesiosis) —
and an
even bigger “stick.”
“Piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that causes anemia,” said
Gary Heusner, a University of Georgia Extension Service animal
scientist.
“The organism hasn’t been endemic in Georgia,” he said, “and
that’s the problem with allowing infected horses in.”
To clear the final hurdle, the Georgia Department of Agriculture
reached agreement with the Federation Equestre Internationale
(FEI), the governing body of international equestrian
competition.
The FEI agreed to follow strict conditions outlined in a 20-point
proposal allowing piroplasmosis-positive horses into Georgia for
the Games.
The parasite travels through the gut of ticks into the organs,
especially the ovaries, where it multiplies and infects the
tick’s eggs.
The larvae hatch and penetrate the salivary glands, from which
they are inoculated into horses.
“Piroplasmosis attacks the red blood cells of the host,” Heusner
said.
Infected horses become anemic and suffer fever, weight loss,
jaundice and, in some cases, death.
“This issue has been a topic of debate and intensive study for
over three years when piroplasmosis first became a concern,” said
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin, “and I feel that
more than ample time has been dedicated to the decision on
whether or not the positive horses will be allowed to enter the
state.”
Piroplasmosis was first clinically diagnosed from an imported
horse from Cuba, in 1961. The parasite was first spotted in the
United States in 1965 in Florida.
“There is one infected horse in Georgia,” Heusner said. “He is
under strict quarantine.”
Piroplasmosis is endemic in Southern Europe, southern Russia,
Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America. The
United States, the Netherlands, Ireland, Great Britain and
Australia remain free of the parasite.
Piroplasmosis’ incubation period is 12 to 30 days for the B.
caballi strain and 12 to 15 days for B. equi.
The mortality rate depends on the general immune status of the
affected horses and the virulence of the organism. The rate is
highest among older horses from piroplasmosis-free areas.
“It’s such a big deal because we are a nonendemic area and the
mortality rate is higher among horses in nonendemic areas,”
Heusner said. “Horses in the U.S. are at greater risk of death if
horses that test positive are allowed into the country.”
Of the two types of piroplasmosis, only B. caballi is
easily
treated. Treatments include a type of chemotherapy.
Making matters more complicated, the type of tick that transmits
piroplasmosis is found in Georgia and is in the feeding season
during the months of the Olympics.
As the rules stand, all horses entering the United States must
test negative to piroplasmosis, including U.S.-origin horses
exported temporarily for competition.
The 20-point proposal put forth by the Department of Agriculture
limits the number of positive horses that will be allowed to
enter the state; eliminates positive horses from three-day
events; and restricts the movement of positive horses once they
enter the state.
“Now that a final decision has been made, we must focus all of
our energy on the proper implementation of the safeguards
outlined in the 20-point proposal,” Irvin said.
“It has been and will continue to be my top priority throughout
this debate to protect Georgia’s and America’s horse industry,”
he said, “and I feel confident that these measures will do just
that.”
