Rhinopneumonia is back in France. This deadly and contagious virus affects only horses. Fortunately, it is not transmissible to humans. For the moment, no case is reported in Berry, but by the end of 2019, several cases had been detected and three horses had succumbed to the epidemic, in the Indre.
This time, the virus comes from Spain, during a big competition that took place in Valencia. Several horses were contaminated during this event. They infected other equines on their return to France, and several outbreaks were detected in Calvados, Haute-Savoie, Hérault and Seine-et-Marne.
Philippe Macé knows the problem well. He runs an equestrian center in Ruffec. He is also president of the departmental riding committee of Indre and regional delegate of the national horse riding group. “When the virus is in the pulmonary form, it is not too serious. The horse has a fever and he is coughing., he explains. On the other hand, _when the disease becomes neurological, the horse wobbles, falls and may die_.”
Suspended equestrian competitions in Europe
This disease is also very contagious and requires very strict sanitary measures. To prevent its spread, the International Equestrian Federation has decided on the suspension from all competitions and gatherings, in France and in nine other European countries, until March 28. But that hardly changes things, obviously, in equestrian centers already facing anti-covid health measures, at the moment.
Against this virus, a vaccine exists, but it has a peculiarity. “This vaccine only works if you vaccinate a large number of people, specifies Emmanuel Lagarde, veterinarian in Lignières. If you only vaccinate one horse in a multi-horse stable, you are not protecting it. All horses should be vaccinated, not just racehorses! “ In the eyes of the veterinarian, the solution would therefore be to make this vaccine compulsory.
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