2005 Trackside Strangles Outbreak– Timeline and Summary
March 10 through August 9, 2005
March 10, 2005 the Office of State Veterinarian (OSV) was made aware of a disease apparently affecting multiple horses at Churchill Down’s Trackside Training Facility.
The State Veterinarian and members of his staff met with track officials. An assessment was made concluding that animals in 2 barns at the facility were exhibiting clinical signs suggestive of ‘Strangles’. This disease is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus Equi.
Affected Animals were stabled in Barns K and L.
A total of 50 Animals were identified as affected with the disease or having a high probability of exposure. This included lead ponies and other horses on the grounds.
To determine the disease status of each of the 50 animals, they were placed under a state ordered quarantine for diagnostic testing.
Testing, consisting of samples being collected from the nasal pharyngeal area of each animal were begun on March 11, with the samples submitted for culture and PCR Testing.
This initial round of testing identified 19 animals as having the bacteria present.
The OSV formed a working group of experts familiar with identifying the carrier animal, diagnosing and treating the disease and containing the spread of the disease.
The panel consisted of Equine Veterinary Practitioners, Veterinary Research Specialist, Equine Infectious Disease Specialist, Regulatory Medicine Specialist, Equine Disease Management Specialist and others who provided recommendations and guidance.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS from the assembled panel
Implementation of Strong Biosecurity Protocol - Restricted entry into the quarantined area, rubber boots and latex gloves when in the barn area. Eliminate cross contamination by cleaning and disinfecting regularly.
Protocol For Clearing Animals
Defined testing protocol consist of 2 separate nasal pharyngeal washes collected a week apart. A third sample, consisting of lavage samples collected from each guttural pouch following an endoscopic examination of the pouches is collected the following week. Each of the three samples will be tested by two distinct methods (culture and PCR).
Prior to a restricted animal being would released from the imposed restrictions, it will be required to test negative by both methods from three consecutive submissions, and no abnormal findings reported from the the endoscopic examination.
Animals should be classified and segregated into groups dependent upon their disease status following each round of testing or presenting evidence of disease.
On March 17th samples for the second round of test were collected. These samples identified 5 animals as positive, with 31 animals now having 2 negative tests and of the original 19 positive animals – 14 were found negative on this second round of test.
On March 24th the third round of samples were collected.
Results from this third round of tests enabled 26 animals to be released from all restrictions. The 24 remaining horses were moved from Churchill's Trackside Training Facility with 12 being relocated to another training facility and the remaining 12 moving to private quarantine facilities.
Testing on these 24 horses has been ongoing. As animals met the defined protocol they were released from restrictions and permitted to resume their racing careers.
On August 9th negative results from the last horse remaining under quarantine were received, with this animal being released of restrictions, no horses from the outbreak at Trackside Training Facility remain restricted.
An investigation was conducted to determine if violations of the Department’s Administrative Regulations had occurred. A detailed investigation was conducted by our Department’s Investigators with no apparent violations identified.
In conclusion we offer that all of us working together Churchill Downs, Agriculture and the Horse Racing Authority proved invaluable to our state’s leading industry, preventing the spread of this highly contagious disease outside of the defined affected barns.
|
