A CSIRO researcher performs tests for influenza within the high biocontainment area at CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL).

Equine influenza

This fact sheet provides information about equine influenza and the outbreak of disease which occurred in Australia during 2007.

• 9 July 2008 | Updated 14 October 2011

• Background
• Equine influenza
• The role of CSIRO's AAHL
• Helping Australia eradicate EI

Background

An outbreak of equine influenza (EI) occurred in Australia in August 2007.

EI was an exotic disease to Australia, meaning it had never been present here before.

A national response, involving the Australian Federal Government, State Governments, and a number of industry organisations, was launched to contain and eradicate the virus.

Located in Geelong, Victoria, CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) is one of the few facilities in the world that can safely handle live transboundary animal disease agents.

The national facility is Australia’s front-line diagnostic laboratory for outbreaks of emergency animal diseases such as EI.

AAHL has played a central role in helping to eradicate influenza from the Australian horse population. Australia is one of the few countries that has been successful in eradicating the disease.

Australia was declared provisionally free of EI in March 2008, just seven months after the first cases were detected in what has proved to be the largest exotic animal disease event in Australian history.

On 30 June 2008, Australia was able to declare official freedom from the disease because no new cases had been found since 25 December 2007. Additionally, six months of thorough testing and surveillance has shown that no EI infection is present in Australia's horse or donkey population.

Authorities must continue disease surveillance until the end of 2008 to prove freedom from the disease to the world animal health organisation (Office Internationale des Epizooties - OIE).

It is essential for horse owners to remain vigilant to any disease symptoms. Report any suspect animals to your local veterinary surgeon or the national 24 hour emergency number 1800 675 888.

Equine influenza

EI is an acute, highly contagious, viral disease that can cause rapidly spreading outbreaks of respiratory disease in horses, donkeys, mules and other equine species.

If EI were to become established in Australia it would have a major, ongoing impact on the country’s multi-billion dollar horse racing and recreational industry. Successful eradication of EI has emphasised Australia’s credentials as a country with excellent animal health capability.

Equine influenza poses no threat to people, however it can be spread from horses to horses via contaminated people and clothing.

The disease is not generally fatal to horses, however fatalities may occur in old or infirm horses or young foals.

Recovery usually occurs after a couple of weeks but horses need to be rested for a further period to avoid complications.

As part of Australia's Emergency Animal Disease Preparedness Program, procedures have been developed to control any outbreak of EI occurring in Australia.

A series of technical response plans (Australian Veterinary Emergency Plans - AUSVETPLANS) that describe the proposed Australian approach to an exotic disease incursion have been developed. Control of EI did not include destruction of infected animals.

The role of CSIRO AAHL

CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) is a national centre for emergency animal disease diagnosis. Its role is to provide diagnostic services and advice in the event of a suspected emergency animal disease outbreak in Australia.

AAHL is a major facility of CSIRO Livestock Industries and plays a vital role in maintaining Australia’s capability to rapidly and correctly diagnose exotic (foreign) and emerging animal diseases.

The role of rapidly diagnosing emergency disease outbreaks is of crucial importance in allowing emergency diseases to be ruled out, or in ensuring control strategies can be quickly implemented.

Surveillance following an outbreak is also critical in order to demonstrate zones of freedom from the disease for trade and animal movement reasons.

AAHL includes a high containment facility to safely fulfil its major role of diagnosing outbreaks of exotic (foreign) animal disease. Researchers are continually improving the diagnosis of infectious animal diseases by introducing and using innovative technologies. Scientists are using robotics and rapid diagnostic equipment to reduce the time needed to provide a diagnosis.

Helping Australia eradicate EI

CSIRO scientists at AAHL quickly identified the first case of EI in Australia using serology and rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests originally developed to detect avian influenza and immediately confirmed the diagnosis by sequencing part of the viral genome.

The PCR tests were subsequently adopted by Australia’s State and Territory veterinary laboratories to monitor the spread of the disease and later were used to demonstrate that Australia had eradicated the disease and was free of EI. AAHL played a central role in the quality assurance of the tests deployed to these other laboratories.

The outbreak virus was successfully isolated by CSIRO scientists, enabling full genetic sequencing of this strain. This information helped determine the probable source of the infection and aided veterinary authorities in selecting the most appropriate vaccine strain to use in the face of the Australian outbreak.

Through excellent research and quality services, AAHL continues to enhance the international competitiveness of Australian agriculture and trade, the well-being of Australians and the quality of their environment.

Take A look inside CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory and for more information about the EI and other emergency animal disease response procedures please visit the AUSVETPLAN website [external link].