Equine Infectious Anemia
On April 15, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued new requirements for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) testing, which are now in effect. The following may be of interest to veterinarians:
- Only USDA accredited Category II veterinarians, who are authorized to complete accredited duties in the state where a sample is obtained, can test for EIA.
- Only USDA-approved forms can be used (e.g., VS 10-11, VSPS e10-11, third party providers).
- If using the paper version of the VS 10-11 test chart, only the current version will be accepted. For reference, this form is marked “VS FORM 10-11, FEB2018” in the lower left-hand corner.
- If new, current paper-based forms are needed, they can still be ordered through the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Supply Line at 517-373-9794 or by submitting the online request form. However, during these unprecedented times, one could experience delays of up to three weeks when ordering these paper forms through MDARD. To more directly access forms, accredited veterinarians are encouraged to use Veterinary Service Process Streamlining (VSPS).
- The test chart must be fully completed.
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No fields are to be left blank. Per USDA guidelines, if a field does not apply, then “NONE” should be written in that space.
- A National Accreditation Number must be noted on every submitted EIA test chart.
- A detailed description of the animal must be provided on each test chart.
- The location for an animal should be its home premises.
As a reminder, per Michigan law, an equid must test negative for EIA in the 12 months prior to:
- Changing ownership and location within Michigan
- Participating in exhibitions, expositions, or fairs
- Being imported into Michigan
- Entering, remaining at, or being present at a horse auction or sales market
Arbovirus Testing
Once again, funding to cover the cost of testing horses and other suspect animals for West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is available. The goal of this program is to test as many suspect animals as the funding will allow.
In order to take part in the program, when a neurologic Michigan animal is suspected of having WNV or EEE, please first request this testing by calling the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) at 800-292-3939 or sending an email with a completed Reporting a Reportable Animal Disease Form to mireportableanimal@michigan.gov.
Once approved, samples from the animal can then be submitted to Michigan State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory with a specialized form that will be provided by MDARD. Brain is the desired sample so the animal can also be tested for rabies; however, serum is an acceptable sample. The whole head may be submitted if the brain cannot be easily removed.
Animal Industry Act
The Animal Industry Act of 1988 is the primary state law that covers animal movement and disease response. Recently, this legislation has been updated, and the changes included in this document have taken effect as of February 2020. To view a chart that summarizes some important changes as well as the implications of these modifications, click here.
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