UDAF, BLM, Ute Indian Nation, and USDA Work to Prevent Spread of EIA to Domestic Horses

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Ute Indian Nation, and the USDA are working to prevent the spread of Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) from a herd of wild horses to domestic horses in the Uintah Basin. The disease, which is only contagious to horses and other equine, was recently detected in a population of wild horses on the Ute tribal lands in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation located south of Vernal, Utah.

EIA is not transmittable to humans or other forms of livestock.

The Ute Tribe and the Bureau of Land Management, which manages wild horses on adjacent lands, are working with the State Veterinarian, Dr. Michael R. Marshall, to determine the extent of infection and plan a course of action to control the spread of this equine disease.

The presence of EIA was detected in the horses recently gathered on Ute tribal lands within the reservation. Coggins testing showed a positive result on 29 of 200 horses tested for this disease.

Horse flies, deer flies and mosquitos are agents which transmit EIA from infected to non-infected horses. Since the numbers of these insects increase in the summer months the likelihood of the disease spreading during those months also increases. Actions will be taken before this critical period.

Posted 27 April 1998