The UK’s first strangles vaccine is launched Strangles is a highly contagious, seriously debilitating disease, which will
cause any responsible horse owner’s heart to miss a beat. The International
Collating Centre1 reports that strangles is responsible for 30% of infectious
diseases and, in Sweden, where strangles and equine ‘flu are notifiable
diseases, there are approximately four cases of strangles for every case of ‘flu. With this in mind, pioneering animal health company, Intervet UK Ltd is launching
the UK’s first strangles vaccine for horses. This unique vaccine, which has been developed following 12 years of research,
stimulates immunity against strangles which is caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus
equi. Strangles, which has an incubation period of approximately a week, is highly
contagious and can be fatal in 1% of cases. In addition, ‘recovered’ horses
may harbour strangles with no outward clinical signs, increasing the likelihood
of recurrent outbreaks in unvaccinated horses. Strangles can occur in horses
of any age but younger horses are more susceptible. Symptoms include fever,
nasal discharge, cough, depression, anorexia and
enlarged glands on the head and neck, which can become abscesses. The swollen
glands can restrict the airway and make breathing laboured, hence the name
strangles. Infection is usually restricted to the head and neck, however
in up to 10% of cases it can develop in other body organs and cause abscesses.
This is usually fatal and is known as ‘bastard’ strangles. Another
complication is purpura haemorraghica (bleeding from the limbs, eye lids
and gums), which can be so extreme that it can cause circulatory failure
and death. The vaccine reduces the clinical signs of strangles and the occurrence
of lymph node abscesses in horses that are at risk of Streptococcus equi infection
such as competition horses, horses in livery yards, horses at the sales and
horses in an outbreak area. The vaccine is administered into the upper
lip of the horse. In trials conducted by Intervet, horses tolerated this novel
injection method. The vaccine can be given to foals from four months of age
and two injections should be given at a four-week interval. It has a three-month
duration of immunity after the second injection and horses in high-risk situations
should be re-vaccinated with a single dose four times a year. An option for
horses in medium-risk situations is to vaccinate every six months but a booster
vaccination should be administered promptly if an outbreak occurs and it has
been more than three months since the last vaccination. There is generally
no need to vaccinate horses in low risk situations. 
Alasdair King, senior veterinary advisor at Intervet UK Ltd, says: “Strangles
can be very distressing for both the horse and its owner and we believe the
disease is one of the most feared by horse owners. Vaccination, in conjunction with good stable management procedures, will
greatly help the way that horses are treated both before and during a strangles
outbreak.” For further information about strangles or the vaccine, please contact
your vet or Intervet’s Veterinary Support Group on 01908 685685.
Article first published 29th October 2004 | 
