More About African Horse Sickness

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The severity of African horse sickness (AHS) is strongly linked to the immunity status of the horse concerned, and the dose of the virus it receives from biting midges.

It is now also possible to treat even severe cases successfully, but early diagnosis is key. Fortunately, a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test can be used to confirm the presence of the AHS virus. Indeed, vets are now obliged to take a blood sample from a live horse, or a spleen specimen at post-mortem, if they suspect AHS. Both the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Veterinary Science Equine Genetics Laboratory and the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute can perform the test. Don’t try to take a sample yourself, as certain diseases that have similar signs to AHS, such as West Nile fever and Lyme disease, can be transmitted to humans through needle pricks. However, you can speed up the diagnosis by transporting the sample to the laboratory personally or couriering it.