Horses and Zebras

Thailand horse world has been hit by a strange, aggressive disease called African Horse Sickness, AHS. It has been brought into Thailand by Zebras, imported from Africa. Zebras belongs to to the Equidae family like horses, donkeys and mules.

When horses started to die, people didn't know what it was and where it came from. Only after the blood samples where send to UK, it could be identified. The illness, spread by bitting midges, had not broke out in Asia in more than 50 years.

Horses are classified as live stock, Zebras are wildlife. Very different import rules. Horses have to be blood checked and are 4 weeks quarantine and more blood checks. Zebras as wildlife can enter without any checking. Some of the imported Zebras obviously carried the AHS virus. While Zebras are usually immune to it as a species, the carry the virus. 90 % of horses who contract the infection, die. Unfortunately 550 horses have died of this horrible illness.

It seems that the spreading has been slowed down since almost all horses and ponies are now protected from flying insects by finely woven netting.

A mass vaccination program of horses has begun in Thailand, while neighboring Cambodia started to install netting around the stables to protect their horses.

The diseases has devastated horse owners in Thailand and sent another signal to the global health community about the potential dangers of the wildlife trade.

About 70 % of emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonotic transmitted from animals to people.

For many, the death of their horses means the loss of livelihoods. The disease has killed everything from Thoroughbred stallions and racehorses to pets and ponies used in tourism.

Although this is very sad story, I thought you would like to be made aware.