Equine Infectious Anemia

Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a viral disease of horses. EIA is spread through blood contact either from contaminated equipment or large biting insects such as horseflies and deerflies.

EIA causes immune suppression, therefore symptoms can be nonspecific. Horses infected with EIA may develop acute symptoms and die within weeks of transmission or they may have slowly progressing symptoms and live many years. There is no vaccine or treatment for the EIA and once a horse is infected, it will always be a reservoir for spread of the disease.

EIA kills between 30-70 percent of horses that become infected. Any horse infected with EIA in Minnesota is placed under quarantined for the remainder of its life.

Any case of EIA in horses must be reported to the Board by calling 651-201-6804.