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Piroplasmosis and the olympics
PIROPLASMOSIS
AND THE OLYMPICS The state of Georgia, site of the 1996 Olympic Equestrian Games, has been declared free ofpiroplasmosis and state and federal departments of agriculture have regulations i n place to prohibit any horse found to be positive for piroplasmosis from entering. During the Los Angeles Olympics a waiver of these regulations was negotiated, allowing some of the top equine contenders to participate even though they were piroplasmosis positive. This time, however, negotiations seem to be at a stalemate, with the government standing firm against a waiver for piroplasmosis-positive horses. This creates a predicament for FEI officials because the gold medal winning horse from the last Olympics is known to be piroplasmosis-positive. Other top contenders are also known to be positive. Negotiations have been under way for some time. FEI officials contend that there should be some means of isolating the affected horses and avoiding contact with ticks so that the threat of spread of piroplasmosis will be negated. Following are presentations of the various individuals involved in the decision making process, presented at a special meeting during the International Equine Sports Medicine Conference.
GEORGIA-WHY NO PIROPLASMOSIS WAIVER James Quigley, DVM Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address your participants at this International Sports Medicine Conference here in Atlanta. As State Veterinarian of Georgia, I am responsible to the Commissioner of Agriculture, Tommy Irvin, and the
Volume 14, Number 4, 1994
people of the State of Georgia to improve the health of livestock in the state and to insure the control and eradication of certain diseases if present in this state. Part of my responsibility is to insure that all livestock brought into the state meet Georgia's import health requirements and to take necessary steps toward those individuals who chose to violate the requirements. Currently, the United States and the State of Georgia do not allow the entry of equine piroplasmosis (EP) positive horses. Georgia intends to follow its regulations which prohibit the entry of horses from an area where EP is known to exist unless the horses are negative to an official test for EP. We expect USDA to require negative tests for piroplasmosis on all horses entering the United States as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations without issuing a waiver. While this decision by the Georgia Department of Agriculture may be displeasing to some of you, Georgia, as does the United States, has a horse population susceptible to EP and has ticks that are potential vectors for the causative organisms Babesia caballi and Babesia equi. USDA personnel have reported in 1982 and again in 1993 that Dermacentor variabilis can experimentally transmit B. caballi and B. equi. The State of Georgia in its last tick survey disclosed twenty-one different species of ticks with Dermacentor variabilis representing 1201 ticks out of 3136 ticks collected. This tick is very common in all areas of Georgia. Georgia had equine piroplasmosis in 1963-1964. This outbreak was in well traveled rodeo stock that were kept in Georgia during the off season. The origin of these horses was never determined due to poor record keeping. All of the horses were slaughtered and measures taken to eradicate the disease. No additional cases have been found as of today. Georgia is willing to participate in an equine piroplasmosis (EP) disease
surveillance program utilizing blood from horses tested in Georgia for equine infectious anemia. This survey does appear to be slanted since surveillance will be limited to Alabama, Florida and Georgia with twice as many samples being tested for Georgia. While Georgia has agreed to participate in this survey, USDA must agree to assist us with finances and personnel to eradicate EP if positive horses are discovered. Please understand that the finding of any EP positive horses will not soften Georgia's stance on requiring negative piroplasmosis horses imported into the US or from areas where piroplasmosis is known to exist. USDA authorities in a letter dated March 1982 made statements which I would like to quote: (1) "The incidence of EP is currently very low in the United States." (2) "The United States has a large pool of susceptible horses." (3) "A known vector "Dermacentor nitens, the tropical horse tick, has been found in Florida and Texas." (4) "Dermacentor variabilis was found to be a competent vector of Babesia caballi." (5) "Dermacentor variabilis is present in 3/4 of the United States." On August 25, 1993, the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) was informed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture that Georgia would enforce its import requirements concerning equine piroplasmosis. Both USDA Veterinary Services and the ACOG had been furnished copies of Georgia's health requirements concerning equine piroplasmosis prior to the August meeting. Georgia's position on the issue of equine piroplasmosis was given to ACOG officials on December 16, 1993. All countries that will participate in the equine events at the 1996 Olympics should have been notified of Georgia's position shortly after November 1993. Dr. Ralph Knowles in a
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AND THE OLYMPICS The state of Georgia, site of the 1996 Olympic Equestrian Games, has been declared free ofpiroplasmosis and state and federal departments of agriculture have regulations i n place to prohibit any horse found to be positive for piroplasmosis from entering. During the Los Angeles Olympics a waiver of these regulations was negotiated, allowing some of the top equine contenders to participate even though they were piroplasmosis positive. This time, however, negotiations seem to be at a stalemate, with the government standing firm against a waiver for piroplasmosis-positive horses. This creates a predicament for FEI officials because the gold medal winning horse from the last Olympics is known to be piroplasmosis-positive. Other top contenders are also known to be positive. Negotiations have been under way for some time. FEI officials contend that there should be some means of isolating the affected horses and avoiding contact with ticks so that the threat of spread of piroplasmosis will be negated. Following are presentations of the various individuals involved in the decision making process, presented at a special meeting during the International Equine Sports Medicine Conference.
GEORGIA-WHY NO PIROPLASMOSIS WAIVER James Quigley, DVM Thank you for giving me the opportunity to address your participants at this International Sports Medicine Conference here in Atlanta. As State Veterinarian of Georgia, I am responsible to the Commissioner of Agriculture, Tommy Irvin, and the
Volume 14, Number 4, 1994
people of the State of Georgia to improve the health of livestock in the state and to insure the control and eradication of certain diseases if present in this state. Part of my responsibility is to insure that all livestock brought into the state meet Georgia's import health requirements and to take necessary steps toward those individuals who chose to violate the requirements. Currently, the United States and the State of Georgia do not allow the entry of equine piroplasmosis (EP) positive horses. Georgia intends to follow its regulations which prohibit the entry of horses from an area where EP is known to exist unless the horses are negative to an official test for EP. We expect USDA to require negative tests for piroplasmosis on all horses entering the United States as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations without issuing a waiver. While this decision by the Georgia Department of Agriculture may be displeasing to some of you, Georgia, as does the United States, has a horse population susceptible to EP and has ticks that are potential vectors for the causative organisms Babesia caballi and Babesia equi. USDA personnel have reported in 1982 and again in 1993 that Dermacentor variabilis can experimentally transmit B. caballi and B. equi. The State of Georgia in its last tick survey disclosed twenty-one different species of ticks with Dermacentor variabilis representing 1201 ticks out of 3136 ticks collected. This tick is very common in all areas of Georgia. Georgia had equine piroplasmosis in 1963-1964. This outbreak was in well traveled rodeo stock that were kept in Georgia during the off season. The origin of these horses was never determined due to poor record keeping. All of the horses were slaughtered and measures taken to eradicate the disease. No additional cases have been found as of today. Georgia is willing to participate in an equine piroplasmosis (EP) disease
surveillance program utilizing blood from horses tested in Georgia for equine infectious anemia. This survey does appear to be slanted since surveillance will be limited to Alabama, Florida and Georgia with twice as many samples being tested for Georgia. While Georgia has agreed to participate in this survey, USDA must agree to assist us with finances and personnel to eradicate EP if positive horses are discovered. Please understand that the finding of any EP positive horses will not soften Georgia's stance on requiring negative piroplasmosis horses imported into the US or from areas where piroplasmosis is known to exist. USDA authorities in a letter dated March 1982 made statements which I would like to quote: (1) "The incidence of EP is currently very low in the United States." (2) "The United States has a large pool of susceptible horses." (3) "A known vector "Dermacentor nitens, the tropical horse tick, has been found in Florida and Texas." (4) "Dermacentor variabilis was found to be a competent vector of Babesia caballi." (5) "Dermacentor variabilis is present in 3/4 of the United States." On August 25, 1993, the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) was informed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture that Georgia would enforce its import requirements concerning equine piroplasmosis. Both USDA Veterinary Services and the ACOG had been furnished copies of Georgia's health requirements concerning equine piroplasmosis prior to the August meeting. Georgia's position on the issue of equine piroplasmosis was given to ACOG officials on December 16, 1993. All countries that will participate in the equine events at the 1996 Olympics should have been notified of Georgia's position shortly after November 1993. Dr. Ralph Knowles in a
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