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Deadly Glanders Confirmed in City Horse
15 May
Summary
- A joyride horse died from highly contagious glanders bacterial infection.
- Disease confirmation triggered urgent calls for area regulation.
- Authorities are testing 140 other horses for potential spread.
A horse utilized for joyrides in the city has succumbed to glanders, a highly contagious and reportable bacterial disease that affects equines. Confirmation of the illness by the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) has led to official recommendations for stringent area regulations and control measures to prevent wider transmission.
The disease, spread through direct contact or contaminated discharges, primarily impacts horses and similar animals, often resulting in severe respiratory issues, skin lesions, and fatalities. Symptoms include fever, coughing, nasal discharge, and enlarged lymph nodes, progressing towards debilitation.
Following a distress call due to the horse's emaciation and visible lesions, samples were sent to NRCE, which tested positive for glanders. This has spurred calls for testing all approximately 140 horses engaged in joyrides within the city. Containment protocols, including rapid response teams and strict regulation of horse movement, are being implemented as glanders is also a zoonotic disease.
A previous case in Coimbatore over a month ago resulted in the affected horse being culled. Authorities are actively involved in surveillance and testing in adjoining areas to mitigate the spread of this serious animal disease.
