00.00.2008 -
CEM Infection in the Spanish Riding School and the Federal Stud Piber
Explanations and Measures
I) Preamble
The CEM pathogen (contagious equine metritis) first occurred in Europe in 1977 in Newmarket (GB). It was first detected in Austria at the beginning of the 80s mainly in imported horses.
As the infection is not subject to notification in Austria, the current incidence rate in the national horse population is difficult to assess.
II) What is CEM
The contagious equine metritis can affect both mares and stallions. It is caused by the bacterial pathogen Taylorella equigenitalis and is considered a highly contagious disease. The stallion shows no symptoms, he is however a carrier of the pathogen.
The pathogen is transferred to the mare during mating. Clinical symptoms are an inflammation of the genitals, a couple of days after the infection the mare shows a visible vaginal flux. Subsequently the inflammation subsides. Mares having fallen ill with the CEM pathogen are frequently sterile and can infect a stallion during the following mating.
However, a mare can carry the pathogen for months and even years without showing any visible symptoms. In mares the pathogen settles either in the uterus and / or the clitoris.
III) Who is affected
Above all equidae are affected, these being horses and donkeys. For humans or other species the pathogen is completely nonhazardous. CEM is especially relevant for breeding horses.
Due to the lack of symptoms (the stallion shows none at all) CEM is difficult to detect. For breeders the economic losses due to the potential sterility of infected mares are substantial. CEM occurs consistently in a number of European breeding countries – the pathogen Taylorella equigenitalis seems to be endemic (native) in Europe.
IV) How is the disease transmitted
CEM is a typical bacterial contact infection. The pathogen is located either on the penis, the uterus or the clitoris of the contaminated horse. The main means of transmission is mating, however, CEM can also be transmitted by artificial insemination with fresh or frozen sperm from contaminated stallions. The passive transfer of the pathogen through contaminated material, sponges and equipment is possible. A further means of transmission is birthing where the mare can pass the pathogen on to the newly born foal.
However, CEM can not be transmitted through air, according to the current standard of knowledge a transmission via coughing, nose and mouth secretion, urine or faeces is unlikely, as is the transmission through humans or other species.
V) How long can the pathogen survive
Without its host – the genitals of the horse – in all probability the pathogen dies off quickly in the environment. As a precaution, potentially contaminated material and infrastructure must be cleaned and disinfected.
VI) How can CEM be diagnosed
CEM is diagnosed with swabs, which are subsequently analysed with the aid of special methods in qualified laboratories. A swab is taken from the mare from her uterus and her clitoris, from the stallion from his urethra and penis (either aroused or sedated). Nowadays, in the European Union and the USA specimens are also taken from the secretion or the sperm. The swabs are taken three times in a row every seven days. If the genitals are treated before taking a swap, the last treatment should date back approx. 10 days.
VII) How can the disease be treated
CEM reacts well to treatment and is curable. Thorough daily cleansing of the genitals with disinfectant and a treatment with an antibiotic cream over a period of approx. 7 days is crucial. Additionally antibiotics should be administered orally.
VIII) How can CEM be prevented
Before the covering season swaps are taken every seven days three times in a row from the sires and only if each test is negative are the stallions cleared for breeding. In the case of artificial insemination with sperm intended for the EU the stallion must be swapped and the sperm must be tested.
In the course of natural breeding apart from the swaps, immaculate hygiene and further hygienic measures are essential in preventing CEM.
IX) What must the owner of a stallion observe
Apart from the compulsive swaps at the beginning of each year, the breeder should also verify whether all his brood mares that have been covered by his stallions, have been tested CEM negative.
The following recommendations apply to sustainable covering hygiene in the stallion station:
X) What must the owner of a mare observe
Mares must be CEM swapped before covering and must be monitored with regard to vaginal flux, even if a pregnancy is determined.
XI) When was the pathogen first detected in the Federal Stud Piber or the Spanish Riding School
It is not completely clear how and when the pathogen was contracted and one can therefore only speculate. However, in the course of a scientific paper in the year 2002 CEM was detected in a few horses in the Federal Stud Piber. To this day not a single horse in the ownership of the company has shown clinical symptoms of the CEM pathogen, the rate of fertility in the breeding season 2006 was over 90% and thereby significantly above the international average.
In November 2006 a Lipizzaner was exported from Piber to the US, the horse was however never used for breeding purposes. He was tested CEM positive in the States, even though the swaps in Piber were negative. This event prompted the extension of the diagnosis to horses never involved in the breeding process.
XII) What measures have been taken due to the current findings
The current situation with respect to the detection of the CEM pathogen in the horse population of the Company was reported to the Federal Ministry of Health in its function as the supreme veterinary authority and the international animal epidemic authority (OIE).
At the same time a panel of experts was assembled which includes the following experts: Dr. Dominik Burger, Swiss National Stud ; Dr. Georg Hladik, veterinary surgeon of the Spanish Riding School; Professor Dr. Christine Aurich, Veterinary University of Vienna; Dr. Elisabeth Reisp-Pöchacker, Federal Ministry of Health; on behalf of the Company Mag. Armin Aigner, Managing Director; Dr. Maximilian Dobretsberger, Stud Manager Federal Stud Piber; Ernst Bachinger, Head of the Riding School.
An abatement plan developed by Dr. Hladik and Dr. Dobretsberger for the locations Vienna and Piber was presented to the board, which was then discussed and adapted in the course of numerous meetings and its execution unanimously agreed. The essential measures are outlined below. Furthermore, the development of a monitoring and after-treatment plan as a continuation of the current abatement plan was initiated.
Spanish Riding School Vienna
The positively and negatively tested stallions currently stabled in Vienna have been separated. In a first step, the comprehensive hygienic measures and the respective instructions to the complete staff have prevented a further transmission of the pathogen.
All negatively tested horses have been swapped again (Fossa-Urethra-Penis = swap set). Two weeks after the results from the second examination are known, some of the available positively tested horses will be moved to the summer quarters Heldenberg and stabled in special isolation boxes. These horses will be treated immediately. With these measures we aim to achieve a substantial pathogen reduction in the Stallburg of the Spanish Riding School before the routine move of all the horses for the summer break.
Before the stallions are routinely moved to their summer quarters Heldenberg a further swap of the remaining negatively tested horses will be made. This reconfirms a stallion’s status and the hygienic measures necessary for the transport can be effectively implemented.
At Heldenberg the positively and negatively tested horses will be separately stabled. Subsequently the remaining positively tested horses will be treated. With this move it is possible to clean, disinfect and paint the stables in Vienna.
All positively tested horses will be subject to a local treatment (thorough daily washing of the penis with Hibiscrub for the duration of 5 minutes and subsequent application of a Nitrofurazon cream over a period of 7 days) and a systemic antibiosis. This is state-of–the-art treatment, however it is not possible to guarantee the total eradication of the pathogen.
The success of the treatment is verified with further swaps – 3 times in the space of 7 days each. Only after 3 negative tests can the horse be diagnosed CEM free (according to the respective EU guidelines). With this consistent treatment the majority of the positively tested horses can be successfully treated during the summer break. If a horse carries the pathogen in spite of this treatment it will remain in the summer quarters Heldenberg until the treatment is successful.
A stable tour in the summer quarters is not possible for visitors. The stable tours in Vienna are expected to remain restricted until the beginning of July. The performances, morning training and the Privatissimum of the Spanish Riding will continue without any restrictions.
Federal Stud Piber
As only isolated cases have been diagnosed in the Federal Stud Piber, the visitor areas can be accessed without any restrictions. The currently positively tested horses are in quarantine in the veterinary ward and are being treated a.m. above.
Until the receipt of the final test results of the entire horse population (8 weeks), the Federal Stud Piber has suspended the participation at off-site events, the sale of horses and the participation of guest horses at our own events as an immediate safety measure.
Upon receipt of the detailed results for the entire stock the further necessary measures will be taken.
It goes without saying that positively and negatively tested horses will be separated into groups and fed and cared for separately by the staff.
In future the hygienic measures and the early detection process will be extended to all the horses kept in the stud. The treatment is identical to that implemented in the Spanish Riding School.
Vienna, April 10th, 2007
Mag. Armin Aigner
Dr. Maximilian Dobretsberger
Federal Stud Piber