The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has recently issued an update to its Veterinary Services Guidance (VSG) 13407.3, which pertains to the testing of equines during their import quarantine.
This update serves to provide clarity on specific definitions, introduce a new testing procedure for glanders, and enhance import controls related to tick-borne diseases, notably equine piroplasmosis. As of Oct. 10, 2023, APHIS has actively implemented and is enforcing this revised VSG across all equine import quarantine facilities.
Below is a summary of the revised guidance:
- Refinement of Definitions: The updated VSG brings precision to the definition of “non-negative” test results and introduces a new classification for import purposes. It also makes modifications to the definition of confirmatory testing. These changes are aimed to eliminate ambiguity and ensure that animals with non-negative test results are appropriately handled in quarantine.
- Glanders Testing Protocol: A new testing protocol for glanders has been introduced, aimed at minimizing the possibility of false positive results without incurring additional costs for submitters. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) will now employ the double antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (daELISA) as the official test for glanders. This test is more sensitive and specific compared to the existing complement fixation test (CFT). The daELISA results are binary, being either positive or negative, with no “suspect” outcomes. If daELISA results turn out positive, NVSL will conduct a Western blot as a confirmatory test. Horses testing negative in the Western blot confirmatory test will be classified as free from glanders and may be released.
- Equine Piroplasmosis and Ticks: Provisions have been included to ensure that horses entering import quarantine with attached ticks are free from equine piroplasmosis and are not incubating the disease at levels below the diagnostic test's sensitivity. Specifically, the VSG stipulates that horses found with attached ticks during import inspection must either undergo a fourteen-day quarantine and retesting for piroplasmosis or be refused entry.
- Cohort Definitions: The guidance revises the definitions of cohorts for equine piroplasmosis and dourine to encompass all horses residing on the same premises within the sixty days immediately preceding export. This includes horses that were present concurrently or subsequent to a horse within the same shipment that tested non-negative for piroplasmosis and/or dourine.
It is important to highlight that the NTRA has been in ongoing discussions with the USDA concerning testing protocols and is encouraged by the USDA's responsiveness to our input, resulting in essential adjustments to the glanders testing protocol. The NTRA remains committed to championing policies that enhance the welfare of the equine community.
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