Infectious Equine Disease - Atypical Myopathy
Friday, May 10, 2019

Interim ICC Report 

May 2019 #01 (01.05.19) 

Various Countries 
Atypical Myopathy 

On 1 May 2019, the University of Liege reported 73 cases of Atypical Myopathy in Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Netherlands and UK since 1 April 2019. 

The toxin responsible for atypical myopathy is also contained in sycamore seedlings (Acer pseudoplatanus). Currently, there are large number of sycamore seedlings, therefore, it is imperative to avoid equines (horses, donkeys, zebras) ingesting them. It is important to check your grass to make sure it does not contain these seedlings. 

The following points may help manage your pasture: 
• e-mail equinesurveillance@aht.org.uk to submit reporting information 
• temporarily limit access to pastures containing sycamore maple seedlings (or limit grazing to avoid areas where seedlings are present in large numbers); 
• limit pasture time to a few hours a day (the majority of cases grazed > 6h / day); 
• whenever possible, feed the animals before putting them in the meadow; 
• organize the rotation of pastures to offer exclusively lush grasslands; 
• do not place food (hay or other) on the ground; 
• try to destroy the seedlings as early as possible by mowing, harrowing (cutting/ break the cotyledons of the seedlings should kill them) and/ or burn them. For reasons of environmental protection, avoid chemicals. Be careful, do not offer these pastures right away as it has been shown that even faded seedlings still contain the toxin (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30629759). Wait until the seedlings have disappeared and the grass have grown; 
• consider cutting branches of maple trees near pastures to avoid the production of flowers and seeds. 

If you are aware of a case, please contact: 
- as an owner, via the link : http://labos.ulg.ac.be/myopathie-atypique/en/declare-case-owners/ 
- as a vet, via the link : http://labos.ulg.ac.be/myopathie-atypique/en/veterinarians/declare-case-veterinarian/

Animal Health Trust 
Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU England 
Telephone: +44 (0)1638 555399 
Website: www.aht.org.uk/disease-surveillance/icc-reports 


This post was last updated on