Horses, mules and donkeys in Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are facing a serious health risk due to the re-emergence of glanders, a highly contagious disease caused by bacteria which can be transmitted to other animals and humans.
There is no cure for glanders disease as of now. Hence, any horse, mule or donkey that tests positive has to be put down to prevent the disease from spreading.
A worried Union Health Ministry has issued an alert and is also preparing guidelines for the prevention and control of the disease.
The country has around 1.17 million equines, a majority of which play a crucial role in the livelihood of rural societies living in arid, semi-arid and hilly regions, especially in the foothills of the Himalayas. A small population of equines is used by the Army, police, Border Security Force, racing industry and sports. The alert issued by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) points out that the risk to rearers and people working in a contaminated area is high.
Especially vulnerable are veterinarians, farriers, transport workers, soldiers, farmers, horse handlers and stable hands.
Glanders infects animals via infected feed, water, skin infections, and other infected animals. The disease can affect the skin, lungs or the entire body. Signs may include fever, chills, muscle aches, and chest pain; pneumonia can rapidly develop. Nodules or ulcers may occur in the skin or the nose, eyes, or mouth. Swollen lymph nodes may also be apparent. Infections, involving the mucous membranes in the eyes, nose and respiratory tracts, will cause increased mucus production from the affected sites.
In India, major glanders outbreaks were reported between 1976 and 1982 from various parts of the country. later, sporadic cases were reported in 1988, 1990 and 1998. Though India remained free of glanders for 8 years, outbreaks re-emerged during 2006 to 2011. This year, too, cases have been reported from various North-eastern States, said Dr Uday Kakroo, a veterinarian.
Conjunctivitis, weeping, allergy to light, swelling of the nose and face, coughing and headaches are common. Pneumonia, pulmonary abscesses can also occur. The chronic form of glanders involves abscesses within the muscles of the arms and legs or in the spleen or liver.
lack of awareness among horse and donkey owners and the limited availability of veterinary services are key factors responsible for under- reporting of incidence of the disease. Hence, control of glanders needs strict implementation of ongoing policy comprising education, awareness of owners and veterinarians and continuous veterinary education programmes, a senior Health Ministry official said.