Belgium has reported one case of equine infectious anaemia (EIA) in an investigation sparked by two infected horses uncovered in Britain.
Belgium launched its investigation after routine post-import checks in Britain found two horses in Wiltshire with the disease, also known as swamp fever.
The two horses, since euthanized, had been imported from Romania through Belgium.
The International Collating Centre, part of Britain's Animal Health Trust, reported this week that Belgium confirmed the case on February 2.
In an interim report, the centre reported that on October 21, 2009, 18 horses arrived from Romania at a dealer's establishment at Drongen.
On December 22, nine of those animals were sent to Britain, where the infection was diagnosed by Coggins test.
"The Belgian investigation revealed that the other nine horses were sold in mid-November to the same person at Assebroek. This person then sold one horse to his brother at Meetkerke.
"Currently, no movements of horses to or from these facilities are permitted. All horses that have been in contact with the horses from Romania are being traced, movement controls applied on the farms and the animals tested for the infection. The positive animal is due to be euthanized and destroyed."
The report said it should be noted that since, April 23, 2007, the European Union has been operating under rules involving protective measures regarding EIA in Romania.
"It is not clear at the present time why these apparent safeguards appear not to have been effective with the batch of 18 horses that arrived in Belgium on 21st October 2009 from Romania."
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