M E M O R A N D U M

TO:    Board of Trustees
 AHC Government Affairs Advisory Committee
AHC Health and Regulatory Committee
Other Interested Parties

FROM: Amy W. Mann

DATE: August 5, 2003

The American Horse Council has learned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that Mexico has restricted the importation of horses that originate from, or have transited through, the U.S. The reason for the restriction is the unusually high number of horses diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) over the past few months.

According to Dr. Tim Cordes, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Equine Diseases, with Veterinary Services USDA, both humans and horses have been diagnosed with EEE since June this year. States reporting cases include: Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Horses that have been infected have been mostly unvaccinated horses or horses that were not vaccinated at regular intervals.

The USDA reports that it is working with Mexico in an effort to remove the restrictions and will report any progress when information is available.

EEE causes damage to the central nervous system in humans and horses. Infected horses generally run a very high temperature, become depressed and uncoordinated, develop a sleepy appearance, walk in circles, and eventually collapse to the ground.

It is an endemic disease in the U.S. and in Mexico. Horses are considered “dead end” hosts for the virus, meaning that infected horses cannot transmit the virus to other animals or humans.