In the fields of much of the country, the rapid growth of a deadly disease for horses is being observed with enormous concern. It’s about the western equine encephalomyelitis, which has not been in Argentina since 1988 and that a few weeks ago it began killing animals by the dozens in the provinces of Santiago del Estero and Corrientes, and then moved to Chaco, Entre Ríos, Córdoba, Santa Fe, Formosa and Buenos Aires.
This viral disease is transmitted from birds to mosquitoes, and these in turn infect horses and humans. The incubation period of the disease – that is, the time from infection until clinical signs appear – is 5 to 14 days. Equines present a neurological condition with different signs, such as wandering, hyperexcitation, depression, hyperthermia and recumbency mainly. All establishments that reported nervous signs and/or mortality of horses are subject to official interdiction with absolute restriction of movement.
Concern about the rapid growth of cases was accentuated by vaccine shortagesbut from today, after an exception procedure carried out by Senasa, batches of vaccines from the Tecnovax laboratory will begin to arrive in the most complicated areas, at a rate of 80,000 doses per day.
In any case, as the specialists explain, Immunization becomes effective fifteen days after the vaccine is administered, and a second dose is necessary. Meanwhile, the recommendation is to use mosquito repellents. In addition, equine movements should be reduced to the minimum possible and concentrations or events that involve concentration of equines should be avoided.
In Argentina, The equine rodeo is estimated at 3 million animals. Vaccination against equine infectious encephalomyelitis stopped being mandatory in 2019, and from that moment on, the use of the vaccine declined to 5,000 doses per month, consequently lowering production and import and the number of vaccine units available.
Vaccines arrive
Last night, the Bioeconomy Secretariat reported that the first batch of 300 thousand doses of the Tecnovax laboratory vaccine against equine encephalomyelitis – eastern and western variants – was approved, which finished production this weekend. According to what they indicated, the National Agri-Food Health and Quality Service (Senasa) expedited the control procedures by its Laboratory located in Martínez to begin the distribution of the vaccine, whose logistics will be in charge of the laboratory producing them, which will distribute the dose according to the epidemiological criteria established by the National Health Organization, and in coordination with Tecnovax.
In this way, those parties and departments with the greatest number of notifications of disease outbreaks will be prioritized, but areas with favorable ecological conditions for the presentation of the virus and the registration of equine stocks will also be considered.
In addition, it was reported that vaccine production will increase as the days go by, so it is expected that demand coverage will be completed weekly.
In the first instance, vaccination must be carried out by veterinarians accredited to the Senasa Equine Diseases Program. Those accredited must register the certification of the vaccine with the corresponding sticker and stamp, seal and signature of the acting professional in the health documentation (Equine Health Booklet, Equine Passport or Certificates issued by veterinary colleges).
If the animals are vaccinated for the first time, they should be revaccinated between 3 and 4 weeks after the first dose (subject to the indication of the producing laboratory). The vaccine is valid for one calendar year and the antibodies reach a level of protection 14 days after vaccination.
Likewise, Senasa recalled that convalescent or recovered animals that have presented neurological symptoms or those in which the disease has been confirmed should not be inoculated.
Furthermore, regarding the importation of vaccines, Senasa reiterates that it is committed to carrying out the express process of requesting registration of new vaccines that are produced abroad.
From Tecnovax they said that the distribution of the product will be carried out exclusively by the company and its distributors through its network of direct and indirect veterinary clinics that are capillary distributed throughout the national territory. Veterinarians will be the only authorized channel to acquire the vaccine. The suggested retail price to the public will be 3,906 pesos plus tariff + VAT, which is the same value that the product had before the start of the epidemic outbreak.
Horse owners who require vaccines can request them at their veterinarian and make a reservation at Tecnovax by accessing the encephalomyelitis vaccine section “Encephalo Container.”
On the other hand, reservation channels are being enabled through the Argentine Association of Angus Breeders, Caballos Criollos and Unica (Union of the Argentine Meat Industry), among other organizations.
2023-12-12 11:17:10
#Despair #disease #killing #horses
