What test is used for diagnosing EIA in horses?
By Matthew Alvarez
What test is used for diagnosing EIA in horses?
Testing is performed by serology via the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test, commonly known as the Coggins test (named after its developer Dr. Leroy Coggins), or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A positive result using either test indicates the presence of EIA-specific antibodies in the blood.
What happens if a horse has positive Coggins?
What happens when a horse tests positive for EIA? After the result is verified, the law states that the horse’s owner has two choices- euthanasia or quarantine.
What is Coggins test for horses?
The Coggins Test is the diagnostic tool for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), a disease with no vaccine or cure. Also known as swamp fever, malacial fever, and mountain fever, the death rate of infected equidae (horses, ponies, mules and donkeys, and zebras) ranges from 30-70%.
What happens if a horse tests positive for EIA?
When an equine has a positive result on an official test for EIA, the animal must be placed under quarantine within 24 hours after positive test results are known in order to permit confirmation testing and to prevent further exposure of other equines.
Is EIA a Coggins?
A Coggins test is a blood test used to identify the presence of antibodies for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA). Equine Infectious Anemia is a potentially fatal disease with no current treatment available.
How do horses get EIA?
Equine infectious anemia, or EIA, is a bloodborne viral disease transmitted primarily through insects, particularly horse flies and deer flies.
How common is EIA in horses?
Although the current prevalence of EIA in the U.S. equine population remains very low, at an estimated national prevalence of around 0.004 percent, the epidemiology of EIA-positive cases has shifted in recent years.
What is the difference between EIA and ELISA?
Summary: EIA and ELISA are both laboratory tests commonly used to detect HIV. “EIA” stands for “enzyme immune assay” while “ELISA” stands for “enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.” EIA and ELISA work the same, so they are often regarded as similar tests to detect HIV.
What is EIA blood test?
An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, also called ELISA or EIA, is a test that detects and measures antibodies in your blood. This test can be used to determine if you have antibodies related to certain infectious conditions.
How common is equine infectious anemia?
Some cases are characterized by rapid death, but EIA fatalities are not commonly encountered in the U.S. horse population today. There is no vaccine or treatment for the disease, and it is often difficult to differentiate EIA from other fever-producing diseases, including anthrax, influenza, and equine encephalitis.
What are the symptoms of EIA in horses?
The disease is characterized by recurrent febrile episodes, anemia (low red blood cell count), thrombocytopenia (low blood platelet count), inappetance, depression, rapid loss of weight and edema (fluid swelling) of the lower parts of the body, and sometimes incoordination.
