Equine piroplasmosis,
New Zealand

Information received on 22/05/2020 from Dr Tony Zohrab, , Policy and Trade Branch, Ministry for Primary Industries, Wellington , New Zealand

Summary

Report type	Immediate notification
Date of start of the event	22/04/2020
Date of confirmation of the event	22/05/2020
Report date	22/05/2020
Date submitted to OIE	22/05/2020
Reason for notification	First occurrence of a listed disease
Manifestation of disease	Sub-clinical infection
Causal agent	Theileria equi
Nature of diagnosis	Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to	the whole country
Related reports	Immediate notification (22/05/2020) Follow-up report No. 1 (29/05/2020) Follow-up report No. 2 (08/06/2020) Follow-up report No. 3 (16/06/2020) Follow-up report No. 4 (25/06/2020) Follow-up report No. 5 (03/07/2020) Follow-up report No. 6 (12/07/2020) Follow-up report No. 7 (21/07/2020) Follow-up report No. 8 (28/07/2020) Follow-up report No. 9 (05/08/2020) Follow-up report No. 10 (13/08/2020) Follow-up report No. 11 (21/08/2020) Follow-up report No. 12 (03/09/2020) Follow-up report No. 13 (11/09/2020) Follow-up report No. 14 (21/09/2020) Follow-up report No. 15 (29/09/2020)

New outbreaks (1)

Outbreak 1

Karaka, Karaka, Auckland, Auckland

Date of start of the outbreak

22/04/2020

Outbreak status

Resolved (29/05/2020)

Epidemiological unit

Farm

Affected animals

Species	Susceptible	Cases	Deaths	Killed and disposed of	Slaughtered
Equidae	143	1	0	0	0

Affected population

A four-year-old mare.

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Total animals affected

Species	Susceptible	Cases	Deaths	Killed and disposed of	Slaughtered
Equidae	143	1	0	0	0

Outbreak statistics

Species	Apparent morbidity rate	Apparent mortality rate	Apparent case fatality rate	Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Equidae	0.70%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

*Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

Epidemiology

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

As part of routine testing for export a four-year-old mare tested positive on antibody ELISA for Theileria equi. The mare was previously imported into New Zealand in February 2019. While the horse met import testing requirements, preliminary investigations suggest that it was infected with T.equi when it was imported. The affected mare is under voluntary movement restrictions. Transmission of equine piroplasmosis is primarily through a competent tick vector. New Zealand has no confirmed vectors for T.equi. For the period the mare has been resident in New Zealand all contact animals, where it is feasible for iatrogenic transmission (through blood) to occur, are being traced and tested.

Control measures

Measures applied	Traceability Vaccination permitted (if a vaccine exists) No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied	No other measures

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type	Species	Test	Test date	Result
New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory (National laboratory)	Equidae	competitive ELISA (c-ELISA)	30/04/2020	Positive
New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory (National laboratory)	Equidae	gene sequencing	22/05/2020	Positive
New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory (National laboratory)	Equidae	indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test	07/05/2020	Positive
New Zealand National Animal Health Laboratory (National laboratory)	Equidae	polymerase chain reaction (PCR)	22/05/2020	Positive

Future Reporting

The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Map of outbreak locations