(Streptococcus equi subsp. equi) in horses. in August 2015. It was very thin, displayed Strangles is a notifiable disease in Victoria marked ataxia, and was euthanased. under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994. Histopathology indicated severe chronic The requirement to notify ensures that EADs nonsuppurative necrotising panencephalitis. with similar clinical signs, such as equine Avian influenza virus, West Nile virus and influenza, can be excluded. avian paramyxovirus 1 were excluded by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing at DEDJTR received reports of 46 cases of CSIRO-AAHL. There was no evidence of strangles (from 40 properties) between flaviviruses (Japanese encephalitis serogroup) January and December 2015, 33 of which based on immunohistochemistry, and virus were confirmed by laboratory testing. isolation was negative. During the previous 12 years, six cases of nonsuppurative Figure 3.3 the number of cases of encephalitis in Australian magpies strangles reported during 2011-15. (Cracticus tibicen) have been reported in Figure Victoria. 3.4 indicates the spatial distribution of cases The are usually juveniles in very poor between 2013 and 2015. body condition and have multiple parasitic infections. In two of these cases, low numbers Investigations demonstrated that a number of of organisms presumed to be protozoa were cases were associated with the rescue and present within sections of brain; in one of agistment of horses acquired through saleyard these cases, filarial organisms were also auctions. Consistent with DEDJTR policy, present within capillaries. no regulatory action was taken but, because strangles is highly contagious, DEDJTR Increase in incidence of equine field staff provided advice to the notifying strangles veterinarians and/or property owners, as well as contacting relevant equine organisations to During 2015, DEDJTR was alerted to an advise them of the situation. increase in reported cases of strangles
in August 2015. It was very thin, displayed marked ataxia, and was euthanased. Histopathology indicated severe chronic nonsuppurative necrotising panencephalitis. Avian influenza virus, West Nile virus and avian paramyxovirus 1 were excluded by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing at CSIRO-AAHL. There was no evidence of flaviviruses (Japanese encephalitis serogroup) based on immunohistochemistry, and virus isolation was negative. During the previous 12 years, six cases of nonsuppurative encephalitis in Australian magpies (Cracticus tibicen) have been reported in Victoria. The are usually juveniles in very poor body condition and have multiple parasitic infections. In two of these cases, low numbers of organisms presumed to be protozoa were present within sections of brain; in one of these cases, filarial organisms were also present within capillaries. Increase in incidence of equine strangles During 2015, DEDJTR was alerted to an increase in reported cases of strangles (Streptococcus equi subsp. equi) in horses. Strangles is a notifiable disease in Victoria under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994. The requirement to notify ensures that EADs with similar clinical signs, such as equine influenza, can be excluded. DEDJTR received reports of 46 cases of strangles (from 40 properties) between January and December 2015, 33 of which were confirmed by laboratory testing. Figure 3.3 the number of cases of strangles reported during 2011-15. Figure 3.4 indicates the spatial distribution of cases between 2013 and 2015. Investigations demonstrated that a number of cases were associated with the rescue and agistment of horses acquired through saleyard auctions. Consistent with DEDJTR policy, no regulatory action was taken but, because strangles is highly contagious, DEDJTR field staff provided advice to the notifying veterinarians and/or property owners, as well as contacting relevant equine organisations to advise them of the situation.
Animal-Health-in-Victoria-2015.docx