CEM Investigation Finds 21 Positive Stallions

The ongoing investigation into venereal disease contagious equine metritis (CEM) has now located 21 stallions--one of which is now a gelding--positive for causative organism Taylorella equigenitalis. According to the USDA, the 21 positive stallions were found in seven states: one in Georgia, three in Illinois, three in Indiana, one in Iowa, four in Kentucky, one in Texas, and eight in Wisconsin. Overall, the investigation now includes 939 exposed or positive horses. The origin of the outbreak remains unknown. The investigation began in mid-December 2008, when a Quarter Horse stallion on a Kentucky farm tested positive during routine screening for international semen shipment. According to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), as of June 2 the positive horses include 21 stallions and five mares. In addition to these horses, they have confirmed the locations of 913 horses exposed to Taylorella equigenitalis. The 939 horses are located in 48 states (only Hawaii and Rhode Island do not have at least one exposed or positive horse). There are 272 exposed or positive stallions in 29 states and 667 exposed or positive mares in 46 states. An exposed horse is one that was bred to a positive horse, either naturally or via artificial insemination, or one that is otherwise epidemiologically linked to a positive horse, as determined by animal health officials. All positive horses, and all exposed horses that have been located, are currently under quarantine or hold order...TheHorse