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International horse charity World Horse Welfare has been made aware of two outbreaks of the serious equine disease dourine in Europe. Evidence of the disease has been reported in Catania and Sicily and World Horse Welfare is monitoring the situation closely.

According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which announced the outbreaks, no horses can be exported from Sicily for at least six months, and they recommend that horse owners and keepers of breeding animals understand the clinical signs for dourine. Dourine is a notifiable disease, so if you suspect your horse might have contracted it then you are legally obliged to notify your local Animal Health Office.

Defra reported that one of the affected horses was humanely euthanized while the second was still alive, but critically ill, at the time of notification (27 May 2011).

There have been no recent cases of this disease in the European Union and there have never been any cases in the UK.

Dourine is a parasitic disease of horses, and is unusual because it is transmitted almost exclusively during covering (hence it is sometimes referred to as 'covering sickness'), or from mares to their foals in some cases, rather than requiring a vector such as a fly or tick.

Once a widespread disease, dourine is currently considered endemic only in Africa and parts of Asia. Outbreaks also occur in the Middle East and Russia. Treatment is possible but in certain cases can lead to horses becoming carriers. Currently there is no vaccine available, and many affected animals die.

Horses may be carriers without displaying symptoms. The main symptoms to look out for are:
  • Genital swelling and discharge
  • Weight loss, which may be severe
  • Loss of coordination and weakness
Dourine can be prevented by ensuring that affected horses, or horses suspected of infection, are not used for breeding.