CEM Outbreak and Canadian Restrictions

In December 2008, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture announced that a Quarter Horse stallion tested positive for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM), a foreign animal disease not found in the United States, during routine testing for international semen shipment.  Contagious Equine Metritis is a transmissible, exotic venereal disease in horses which usually results in infertility in mares and, on rare occasions, can cause mares to spontaneously abort.  Infected stallions exhibit no clinical signs but can carry the CEM bacteria for years.

A full epidemiological investigation is underway to locate, test and quarantine any potentially exposed horses.  Currently a total of nine stallions have been confirmed positive for CEM, four located in Kentucky, three in Indiana, one in Wisconsin and one in Texas.  The Indiana and Texas stallions spent time on the central Kentucky premises during the 2008 breeding season. The Friesian stallion from Wisconsin was not in Kentucky, but was co-located during the 2007 breeding season in Wisconsin with one of the CEM-positive stallions that was on the Kentucky premises in 2008.

In addition to the 9 positive stallions, the locations of 374 exposed horses have also been confirmed. The total of 383 horses includes 51 stallions and 332 mares located in a total of 42 States. The 51 positive or exposed stallions are located in 12 States, and the 332 exposed mares are in 39 States. There are 97 exposed mares and 1 stallion still actively being traced.  All of the horses that have tested positive for CEM and all exposed horses that have been located are currently under quarantine or are on a hold order.  Testing of all associated horses is underway, as well as treatment of those found to be CEM positive. 

Because of this CEM outbreak, Canada has imposed additional restrictions on horse imports from the U.S. into Canada.  Additional certification for horses (including Canadian horses returning to Canada but excluding horses for immediate slaughter) will be required on all U.S. export health certificates issued after January 19, 2009 and for Canadian horses exported to the U.S. after January 19, 2009 and returning on a Canadian health certificate.  The new certification statements are reflected in point 4 and 5 of the protocol. At the present moment, the import permit for the U.S. origin horses is not required, except for the horses from Florida where it is still required because of the recent Equine Piroplasmosis situation.

Points 4 and 5 of the protocol read as follows:

4. The horse(s) have not been on premises where T. equigenitalis has been isolated during the 60 days immediately preceding exportation to Canada or a premises currently under quarantine or investigation for CEM. Any female(s) in the shipment have not been bred naturally to, or inseminated with, semen from a stallion positive for CEM, or a stallion resident upon a positive premises or under quarantine or investigation for CEM  

5.  Showed no clinical signs of CEM on the day of inspection.

The full protocol can be found on the following website:

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/ca_eq.pdf

Additionally, for Canadian horses returning to Canada on a Canadian health certificate, a supplemental certification document with the above mentioned requirements will be provided by the CFIA endorsing office when advised of intended return. The supplemental certification will need to be attached to the Canadian health certificate after completion and endorsed by USDA before return of the horse(s) to Canada.

Canada is also aiming to have new import requirements for horse germplasm (semen and embryos) implemented in the coming weeks.