VIRUS EQUINE INFLUENZA :: EQUINE FLU

Equine influenza (Horse flu) is the disease caused by strains of Influenza A that are endemic in horse species. Equine influenza occurs globally, and is caused by two main strains of virus: equine-1 (H7N7) and equine-2 (H3N8).[citation needed] The disease has a nearly 100% infection rate in an unvaccinated horse population that has not been previously exposed to the virus.[citation needed]

While equine influenza is known to affect humans, historically, the impact of an outbreak amongst even the animal population was devastating. Because horses were heavily relied upon for communication (postal service), military (cavalry) and general transport — the social and economic impact of widespread equine disease was devastating. Today the ramifications are most clear in the modern racing industry.

Equine influenza is characterised by a very high rate of transmission amongst horses, and has a relatively short incubation time of 1-5 days.[citation needed] Horses with horse flu can run a fever, have a dry hacking cough, have a runny nose, and become depressed and reluctant to eat or drink for several days but usually recover in 2 to 3 weeks.  An 1872 report on equine influenza describes the disease as:"An epizootic specific fever of a very debilitating type, with inflammation of the respiratory mucous membrane, and less frequently of other organs, having an average duration of ten to fifteen days, and not conferring immunity from a second attack in subsequent epizootics." – James Law, Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture for the year 1872.Equine influenza is caused by several strains of the Influenza A virus endemic to horses. Viruses that cause equine influenza were first isolated in 1956. The viruses can cross the species-barrier to cause an epizootic disease in humans, and recently, in dogs. The equine-1 virus affect heart muscle, while the equine-2 virus is much more severe and systemic.The disease is primarily spread between infected horses. Exposure to infected waste materials (urine and manure) in stables leads to rapid spread of the disease.

From Wikipedia