Information for Victorian Veterinarians

Equine Influenza (EI) is a notifiable disease under the Victorian legislation. Call the 24 hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888 if you suspect EI. Equine influenza is a highly contagious viral disease of horses. Until the 2007-08 outbreak, the disease had been exotic to Australia. Due to the efforts of the horse industry and government, EI was successfully eradicated from Australia. Although EI has been eradicated, we will still need to maintain our vigilance and be on alert for suspect cases. Veterinarians are therefore asked to assist DPI in continuing surveillance. Ongoing passive surveillance, involving the investigation of any horses showing signs consistent with EI, enables Australia to demonstrate to our international trading partners that EI has been eradicated. A co-operative approach between private veterinarians and Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Victoria staff is sought for all investigations to ensure that: Supplies and support for sampling are provided to private veterinarians as required Duplicate samples are collected and submitted to the DPI Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory, Attwood Data is managed so that DPI Victoria is aware of all investigations and their outcomes Disease is not transmitted between properties in the process of surveillance A professional and safe investigation is conducted. When DPI requests an investigation and/or sample collection that will be undertaken by a private vet, the Chief Veterinary Officer has authorised the payment of the disease investigation subsidy ($200 plus GST) to the veterinarian involved. This is in addition to the lab costs which are already being covered by DPI. DPI staff can assist veterinarians with the submission of samples to the DPI Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory, Attwood. Viral transport medium can be obtained from the DPI Diagnostic Laboratory, Attwood - contact Andrea Howse on (03) 9217 4377.

DPI Customer Service Centre: 136 186 24 hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888

Further Information

The following information relates to the investigation by veterinarians of suspect cases of EI in Victoria.

• Clinical Signs
• Preventing spread of infection between horses and horse premises
• Entry onto property
• Examination of Horses
• Samples to be collected
• Advice to owners
• Exit off the property
• Submission to Laboratory

• Hard, non-porous surfaces, plastic, stainless steel: 24-48 hours
• Cloth and paper: 8-12 hours
• Dirty water: up to 18 days

• Use a minimum of your own equipment for examining and sampling horses. You need the following: thermometer, swabs and virus transport containers, vacutainers for clotted blood samples and needles/vacutainer holder or syringes, plastic bag or cleanable container to hold all samples after collection.

• Use the owner's restraining equipment such as halters and twitches. Disinfect this between horses.

• Record the identity of each horse examined.

• Examine all suspect horses. Note body temperature and respiratory signs including coughing, dyspnoea and nasal discharge.

• Record history and clinical signs.

• If examining more than one horse in separate areas of the property, be careful not to spread viral material. Wash hands with soap and water, consider changing overalls and disinfecting boots and examination equipment between horses.

• Immediately telephone the DPI on 1800 675 888 or local DPI animal health field staff if you suspect EI.

• Two nasal swabs. A normal 6 inch wooden or plastic handle cotton swab is satisfactory. Insert the swab deeply into both nostrils and vigorously swab the nasal septum and ventral meatus. Place the swab into virus transport media. Repeat the process for the duplicate sample (into a separate viral transport media vial). The virus does not survive well on dry swabs, and samples must be immediately placed inot a viral transport medium which contains antibiotics. Appropriate media can be obtained from DPI Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory, Attwood. This media should be kept frozen until use. Once defrosted and refrigerated the shelf life is 2 weeks. Transport media such as Stuarts and Amies are NOT suitable as they do not contain anitbiotics.

• Two 10ml clotted blood samples. Do not refrigerate the blood samples until the serum has started to separate.

• Isolate suspect horses
• Feed and attend to suspect horses last and do not share equipment or tack between horses
• Check the temperature of suspect horses twice daily and record
• Request owners telephone their veterinarian if horses show signs of disease or any temperature elevations
• Restrict access to the horses and keep them way from boundary fences
• Dedicate a person to deal with these horses only. This person must decontaminate and disinfect before being allowed near other horses.

• Package specimens into a plastic bag and take back to car. At car, rinse the outside of the bag using soap, detergent or disinfectant and pack into an esky with ice bricks. Remove overalls, gloves and hat for later disposal/washing. These should be double bagged. Wash rubber boots using soap, detergent or disinfectant and place in vehicle.

• If possible disinfect any equipment you have used while still on site eg: thermometer, vacutainer holder. Otherwise double bag these and disinfect back at the clinic. Use a disinfectant such as Vikron® or chlorhexidine. If this is not available, wash thoroughly with detergent or soap.

• If EI is highly suspected, you must shower with soap and shampoo hair, blow nose, change clothes and immediately avoid contact with other horses.

• If this is a new suspect case of EI, contact the DPI immediately if you have not already done so.

• Launder clothes and hats with detergent and hot water. Alternatively, keep clothing sealed in a plastic bag until negative results are received.

• Instruments and veterinary equipment should be washed with soap or detergent and water and disinfected with Virkon® , chlorhexidine, phenolic disinfectants or bleach.

• Samples should be kept chilled e.g. use ice bricks and esky. The esky should be sent to DPI Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory, Attwood inside a securely taped cardboard box. The description of goods on the consignment note should be labelled "Diagnostic samples".

• Samples should arrive at the laboratory within 24hrs. Samples are still OK up to 48hrs if kept refrigerated.

• A completed laboratory submission form and Record of Disease Event (RODE) form must accompany the samples (contact the DPI Diagnostic Veterinary Laboratory or local DPI animal health staff for these forms).

• Samples will be tested by an Influenza A PCR. This is a screening test. If this returns a positive result the second swab sample will be forwarded to AAHL for confirmatory testing.

• Record of Disease Event Form
• Equine Influenza Submission Form (PDF 35kb)