AAEP PUBLISHES LAWSONIA INTRACELLULARIS (EQUINE PROLIFERATIVE ENTEROPATHY) GUIDELINES

The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has published on its website comprehensive guidelines to assist veterinarians with clinical signs, risk factors, treatment and other considerations associated with Lawsonia intracellularis (equine proliferative enteropathy). This enteric disease typically manifests in weanling and yearling horses during the fall and early winter in North America.  Equine proliferative enteropathy is caused by the obligate, intracellular bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis. The bacterium thrives in environments with low oxygen concentrations such as feces. Among the clinical signs of EPE are anorexia, rapid weight loss, dependent edema, depression, rough hair coat, fever, colic and diarrhea. Approximately 5% of exposed horses will develop clinical disease. An additional 5% will develop subclinical disease, manifesting as sub-normal weight gain. Affected horses should be isolated for seven days following the start of treatment to ensure the complete cessation of shedding. The guidelines were co-authored by Allen Page, DVM, Ph.D., scientist/veterinarian at the University of Kentucky’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, and Rebecca Ruby, MSc, BVSc, DACVP, DACVIM-LAIM, assistant professor at the University of Kentucky’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The AAEP’s Infectious Disease Committee and board of directors reviewed and approved the guidelines. View the Lawsonia intracellularius (EPE) Guidelines at https://aaep.org/document/equine-proliferative-enteropathy-guidelines.