240 Horses Possibly Infected By Single Weld County Horse

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) -- The Colorado Department of Agriculture said Friday that 240 horses were exposed to a Weld County horse which has tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia.

The CDA's State Veterinarian's Office initiated an investigation when the Weld horse's second positive test result was received August 28. It also placed the unnamed Weld County property on quarantine.

Friday, the department said 240 other horses were on the premises at the same time as the positive-tested animal.

"Approximately 100 of these horses were sent to 20 other states across the country and steps are being taken to locate, quarantine, and re-test those horses," the CDA stated in a press release. "At this time, no other horses have tested positive for EIA."

Though uncommon, cases of EIA have been found virtually worldwide. It only affects horses, donkeys and mules, and is usually transmitted by biting insects like horse flies and deer flies.

Fever, lack of appetite, hemorrhages of the mucus membranes, blood-stained feces and weight loss are evident within days of infection. Horses with acute symptoms can die within 2-3 weeks.

Worse, infected animals remain carriers of the disease for life.

Equine Infectious Anemia is a disease for which horses must be tested annually before they can be transported across state lines.

In 2001, 534 cases of the disease were reported nationally, with more than 100 of those in Texas.

The number of annually reported cases has decreased steadily, on average, since that time. Eighty horses tested positive in 2017 nationwide.

Colorado had 14 reported cases in 2004 and six last year.