African Horse Sickness Could Soon Affect Horses in Europe, Researchers Warn

A disease that affects horses in hot countries could arrive in Europe and spread among horses bred in the colder countries, a new study from University of Cambridge has found. Global warming along with the import of fresh produce from affected regions could bring the disease to the U.K.

The African Horse Sickness (AHS) is found in the continent of Africa and is a deadly disease. Researchers now fear that the disease might affect horses in the U.K.

Horses that get the disease suffer from a high fever within 24 hours of the infection and die within two days. The disease is caused by the African Horse Sickness virus and is spread by the infected species of midge called Culicoides imicola. There is no cure for the disease.

Previously, it was believed that the disease-carrier midge can't survive the cold climate of the U.K. or any other European country. Also, Europe has regulations that prevent the entry of horses from Africa.

However, rising temperatures and arrival of fresh produce from the affected regions can help the disease carriers travel and survive in Europe.

There have been well-documented cases of AHS breakouts in the past in Morocco (1965, 1989-1991), Spain (1987, 1988, 1990) and Portugal (1989).

The study was led by Dr. Gianni Lo Iacono and included researchers from Animal Health Trust and The Pirbright Institute.

Researchers said that more research into the ways the disease spreads and how to deal with a breakout is urgently required.

"Our work demonstrates that there is no place for complacency about the ability of the virus to spread here," said professor James Wood, one of the study authors.

The study found that in the event of an outbreak, East Anglia would be the worst affected due to the typical dry, warm climate along with a large number of horses.

The team also looked at the dilution effect of the disease, where horses kept with other animals don't get the disease.

"In some communities in Africa people keep cattle or sheep near their houses in the belief that this will distract mosquitoes carrying malaria away from people. Some midges show apparent preference for cattle over sheep, so in South Africa deploying cattle to protect sheep from bluetongue (a similar disease to AHS in cattle and sheep) has been proposed as a way to control the disease. On the other hand, the presence of other species might well prove to be an added attraction for midges, exacerbating the threat to horses," said Dr. Lo Iacono in a news release.

The study is published in the Journal of the Royal Society, Interface.