1Principal Scientist, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar-125001, Haryana, India
2Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi-110001, India
3ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Sirsa Road, Hisar-125001, Haryana, India
4ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122, Uttar Pradesh, India
5DDG (Animal Science), ICAR, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi-110001, India
*Corresponding author E-mail id: harisankar.singha@icar.gov.in
Online published on 11 March, 2021.
Equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) causes persistent infection in equines known as EIA. All the members of the equidae family are susceptible to the virus and clinical cases of EIA have been reported in horses, ponies, mules, zebras and donkeys. Animals infected with a virulent strain of EIAV may develop an acute form of disease with high viremia. As there are no specific pathognomonic clinical signs in EIA, demonstration of EIAV-specific antibody in the serum confirms the EIAV infection. The study was conducted to determine prevalence of EIA in India using agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) and in-house recombinant p26 ELISA. A total of 48,951 equids from 22 states and 2 union territories in India were surveyed between October, 2012 and March, 2020. The study demonstrated no EIAV case during the survey period. Considering the rare prevalence of EIA in India, a structured surveillance strategy supported by Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Govt of India would be a welcome approach towards this goal.
Animal husbandry, Equids, Equines, Infectious anaemia
