DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Interstate Quarantine Order; Equine Piroplasmosis Recitals.
[40 Pa.B. 30]
[Saturday, January 2, 2010]A. Equine Piroplasmosis (Babesiosis) is a tick-borne disease that affects equine animals, including horses, donkeys, mules and zebras. The etiologic agents of equine piroplasmosis are Babesia caballi and Theleria equi (also known as Babesia equi), protozoan parasites which can be transmitted to equine animals by certain tick species. The parasites can also be transmitted by the transfer of blood from infected equine animals through transfusions and shared needles. There is also evidence of vertical transmission. Infected equine animals can remain carriers of the disease agent for extended periods and can act as the source of disease for other equine animals.
B. Infected horses cannot be effectively treated for piroplasmosis to remove the carrier status.
C. Equine Piroplasmosis (Babesiosis) is designated a ''dangerous transmissible disease'' of animals under 3 Pa.C.S. § 2321(a)(7) (relating to dangerous transmissible diseases).
D. The Department of Agriculture (Department) has broad authority under 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 2301—2389 (relating to the Domestic Animal Law) to regulate the keeping and handling of domestic animals to exclude, contain or eliminate dangerous transmissible diseases. This includes the authority in 3 Pa.C.S. § 2329 (relating to quarantine) to issue the interstate quarantine order as follows.
E. Equine Piroplasmosis has been shown to exist in Texas, and appears to be spreading through natural transmission. The transporting of infected animals from Texas could spread the disease among susceptible domestic animals in this Commonwealth.
F. There are reasonable and relatively nonintrusive quarantine restrictions the Department can impose to prevent Equine Piroplasmosis from entering this Commonwealth.
Order.
The Department enters an interstate quarantine order with respect to Equine Piroplasmosis, incorporating the foregoing recitals into this order. This order is entered under authority of 3 Pa.C.S. § 2329 and establishes the following restrictions and conditions:
1. If an equine animal has resided in Texas for a cumulative total of 30 days or more within the 6 months preceding the date of entry into this Commonwealth, that animal must be test-negative for Piroplasmosis on a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA) test, or a Department-approved equivalent test, with the test occurring within the 30 days preceding entry into this Commonwealth. This requirement shall not be applicable to an equine animal that is being transported through this Commonwealth to another state, and that is not offloaded or commingled with other equine animals while within this Commonwealth.
2. The written laboratory test report, confirming compliance with the requirement described in the preceding paragraph, shall accompany the equine animal in transit to a destination within this Commonwealth; and the date of test and the test results shall be written on the Certificate of Veterinary Inspection.
3. The test requirement described in this Order is in addition to all other Commonwealth import requirements applicable to equine animals.
4. This order shall take effect as of December 20, 2009; and shall remain in effect until rescinded or modified by subsequent Order.
RUSSELL C. REDDING,
Secretary[Pa.B. Doc. No. 10-15. Filed for public inspection December 31, 2009, 9:00 a.m.]
