Australia: 22 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland -Tests inconclusive, ticks (ixodes holocyclus) or botulism likely

[Ronan Kelly]

Five horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland Darren Cartwright
October 6, 2011 - 8:04PM
.AAP

Five horses have died and another three are seriously ill in a paddock in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Biosecurity Queensland says they are not showing signs of Hendra virus, which has killed 21 horses this year alone in NSW and Queensland.

However, they are conducting tests as a precautionary measure.

Advertisement: Story continues below The dead horses were discovered by locals in Kooralbyn.

The RSPCA and local vets were called before Biosecurity Queensland arrived at the property on Thursday afternoon.

"While the horses are showing no symptoms that would indicate Hendra virus infection, samples have been taken for testing as a precaution," a Biosecurity Queensland statement said.

...
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-new...-in-gold-coast-hinterland-20111006-1lbih.html

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: Five horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Re: Australia: Five horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Hendra ruled out in latest horse deaths October 7, 2011 - 3:14PM


Hendra virus has been ruled out as the cause of the deaths of a dozen quarter horses on a property in the Gold Coast hinterland.

Horse owner Steve Hogno says Biosecurity Queensland has told him the deaths aren't related to Hendra virus.

"The Hendra tests have come back clear," Mr Hogno said.

"That still leaves it a mystery as to what caused the problem, but at least it does put the local community's mind to rest a little bit, knowing there's not Hendra in the area."

Further tests are being conducted to determine the cause of death.

Authorities suspect poisoning or disease killed the horses, but Queensland's chief vet Rick Symons says there's no sign of foul play.

Locals noticed five dead and three ill fillies and mares, which were covered in ticks, in a paddock at Kooralbyn yesterday.

But the number of dead horses increased to 12 today, as several were euthanased.

...

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/a...orse-deaths-20111007-1ld5j.html#ixzz1a5eIdZOt

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: Twelve horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Re: Australia: Twelve horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Kooralbyn horses update News release | 07 October, 2011


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Test results show that Hendra virus is not the cause of a fatal illness affecting horses at a property in the Kooralbyn area.

Currently the number of deceased horses is 12. Five of these horses were euthanased.

Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Rick Symons said Biosecurity Queensland would perform post mortems on the horses to try and determine what has made them fatally sick so rapidly.

"We don't expect to have the complete post mortem results until next week", he said.

"There were a total of 25 horses on the property. Three of the surviving horses are showing signs of the illness and are being monitored.

"I want to acknowledge the quick actions of the private veterinarians who attended the property yesterday and their use of appropriate protective equipment.

"While this is not a case of Hendra virus infection, vets should always take appropriate precautions including the use of Personal Protective Equipment."


http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_21024.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: Twelve horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Re: Australia: Twelve horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Mystery horse illness toll could reach 18 Save this story to read laterby: By Miranda Forster and Tony Bartlett
From: AAP
October 08, 2011 6:49PM
ANOTHER horse is expected to be put down after showing symptoms of the mystery illness that has killed 17 quarter horses at a property west of the Gold Coast.
A private vet is on his way to a property near Beaudesert in the Kooralbyn area after one of the eight surviving animals took a turn for the worse, owner Steve Hogno said.
The horse had appeared to be recovering after showing signs of weakness yesterday, he said.
"(She) ate all last night, and drank, and had another big feed this morning but she's since deteriorated and the vet's on his way now," he said.
"We'll probably put her down, I think."

...
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...18/story-e6frfku9-1226161975263#ixzz1aCecvbcZ

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: 17 horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Re: Australia: 17 horses dead in Gold Coast hinterland

Kooralbyn horses update: 9 October 2011
News release | 09 October, 2011


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The number of deceased horses at a property in the Kooralbyn area is now 19.

The six surviving horses were moved to another property on Friday evening and are under the care of a private veterinarian.

Biosecurity Queensland officers are on site conducting further checks of the paddock where the horses became sick.

We have also been speaking with neighbouring landholders as part of our investigation.

On Friday we began the process of performing post mortems on the deceased horses.

We expect to have the complete post mortem results some time this week.


http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_21027.htm

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: 19 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland

Re: Australia: 19 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland

More horses fall to mystery illness at Kooralbyn
by: By Tony Bartlett
From: AAP
October 11, 2011 12:55PM


JUST one horse is still standing on a south-east Queensland property crippled by a mystery illness which has killed 21 quarter horses.
David Barry, who is caring for four surviving horses at the property at Kooralbyn, 90km west of the Gold Coast, said three of them were sick on the ground today.
"When I got to them a few minutes ago I found three of them down," Mr Barry said.

...
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new...yn/story-e6frfku0-1226163881542#ixzz1aT1koXMj

 

[alert]

Re: Australia: 21 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland

Re: Australia: 21 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland

The above article also mentions (http://www.news.com.au/breaking-new.../story-e6frfku0-1226163881542#ixzz1aT1koXMj):

Results from a new round of autopsies are expected tomorrow afternoon, with analysis being widened to include tests for botulism.

"The problem with that is that there's no longer any anti-serum for botulism," Mr Barry said.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
"The last batch was used 15 years ago on the Gold Coast, and I've been told if the tests come back positive for botulism nothing can be done to save the last of the horses."

Mr Barry said botulism spores can remain dormant in a horse's gut for up to 12 months.

"The trigger could be some form of toxic weed, paralysis ticks or bad water," he said.

"I've been talking to vets all over Queensland and they're saying the symptoms are spot-on for botulism, which can get into dam water from dead cattle, but it's just crazy watching all these horses go down.

"I've got onto a man who makes herbal remedies and he made up some doses for botulism last night and we got that into the remaining horses, just because there's nothing else I can do and something is better than nothing.

"If the tests come back positive for botulism tomorrow then at least I've already started the treatment, and if it's not, it won't do them any harm anyway."

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: 21 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland

Re: Australia: 21 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland

Ro: Still awaiting official word from Biosecurity.


Ticks blamed for horse deaths
Chris Calcino | 13th October 2011

AUTOPSY results from 21 dead horses in the Gold Coast Hinterland have revealed tick poisoning is to blame for the deaths.

The Toowoomba-owned horses died after they were sent for agistment to Kooralbyn last week.

Post-mortem examinations by Biosecurity Queensland ruled out deliberate poisoning or food-borne disease botulism as the cause.

Owner Debbie Lee said only four of the 25 horses were still alive.

"The surviving four have been given an anti-tick serum. Now we just have to wait and see," she said.

"But it's not hendra, it's not botulism and it's not deliberate poisoning."

...
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/10/13/ticks-blamed-for-horse-deaths/

Ticks to blame for horse deaths - media report

October 14, 2011

Ticks are behind the deaths of more than 20 horses at a property at Kooralbyn, Queensland, The Chronicle reports.

Two ticks of the species ixodes holocyclus, before and after feeding. The amount of blood inside the larger tick is probably about 5ml. © Bjørn Christian Tørrissen


Biosecurity Queensland has yet to released any official word on the cause of the deaths, but paralysis ticks (ixodes holocyclus) were among the potential causes under investigation.

...
The death toll now stands at 23 horses, Biosecurity Queensland said yesterday, leaving just two of the original 25 horses alive. It said test results were expected within a few days. The Chronicle said necropsy results revealed tick poisoning was behind the deaths.

...
http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/10/115.shtml

 

[alert]

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

With regard to the comments below, I do not think "tick paralysis" is an infectious disease; I think it is the result of poisoning by tick venom.

http://promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,90695

Archive Number 20111014.3091
Published Date 14-OCT-2011
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed deaths, equine - Australia (04): (QL):ticks most likely

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS, EQUINE - AUSTRALIA (04): (QUEENSLAND): TICKS MOST
LIKELY
****************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

[1]
Date: 13 Oct 2011
Source: The Chronicle [edited]
<http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/10/13/ticks-blamed-for-horse-deaths/>


Ticks blamed for horse deaths
-----------------------------
Necropsy results from 21 dead horses in the Gold Coast Hinterland have
revealed tick poisoning is to blame for the deaths. The
Toowoomba-owned horses died after they were sent for agistment to
Kooralbyn last week. Post-mortem examinations by Biosecurity
Queensland ruled out deliberate poisoning or foodborne disease
botulism as the cause.

Owner Debbie Lee said only 4 of the 25 horses were still alive. "The
surviving 4 have been given an anti-tick serum. Now we just have to
wait and see," she said. "But it's not hendra, it's not botulism and
it's not deliberate poisoning."

The revelation has been bitter-sweet for Ms Lee and partner Steve
Hogno, who have lost almost half of their racing stock. "It means the
remaining 30-odd horses we have in Toowoomba and Oakey have a clean
bill of health," Ms Lee said. "When I got the report, I told my
daughter that it restored my faith in mankind to realise that no one
out there is low enough to do such a horrible act."

Toowoomba and Oakey are classified as tick-free zones, with hefty
fines for taking tick-infested stock into the region.

"It means that if you take horses down near the coast, it pays to be
mindful," Ms Lee said. "They have no resistance to ticks because
they've never encountered them before."

Bouncing back will be hard, but the owners of Birdhouse Racing Stud
have vowed to do just that.

"It's as good news as it can be," Ms Lee said. "It's a huge knock to
us, but we'll never give up."

[Byline: Chris Calcino]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmai.org>

******
[2]
Date: 14 Oct 2011
Source: HorseTalk.Co.nz [edited]
<http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2011/10/115.shtml>


Ticks to blame for horse deaths -- media report
-----------------------------------------------
Ticks are behind the deaths of more than 20 horses at a property at
Kooralbyn, Queensland, The Chronicle reports.

Biosecurity Queensland has yet to released any official word on the
cause of the deaths, but paralysis ticks (_Ixodes holocyclus_) were
among the potential causes under investigation.

Other possibilities include a toxic weed, botulism and deliberate
poisoning.
The death toll now stands at 23 horses, Biosecurity Queensland said
yesterday, leaving just 2 of the original 25 horses alive. It said
test results were expected within a few days. The Chronicle said
necropsy results revealed tick poisoning was behind the deaths.

It said post-mortem examinations by Biosecurity Queensland had ruled
out deliberate poisoning and botulism.

The surviving horses -- 4 at the time of the report -- had been given
anti-tick serum, the newspaper said.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmai.org>

[These articles tell us what type of ticks but neither tells us which
specific disease. Ticks carry and transmit a variety of diseases. The
specific tick is often associated with a particular disease. The 2nd
article indicates the _Ixodes_ sp. is highest on the likely list of
possibilities (leading to tick paralysis); but there is no official
realease of a diagnosis. But clearly the disease is known if an
anti-serum is being given. Hopefully additional information will be
forthcoming. - Mod.TG]

 

[alert]

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

http://promedmail.org/pls/apex/f?p=..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,90716

Archive Number 20111016.3105
Published Date 16-OCT-2011
Subject PRO/AH> Undiagnosed deaths, equine - Australia (05): (QL) ticks

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS, EQUINE - AUSTRALIA (05): (QUEENSLAND), TICKS
****************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: 15 Oct 2011
From: David Thomson <thomson.david48@gmail.com> [edited]


The report [ProMED-mail 20111014.3091] appears to be suggesting that
the horses died from paralysis caused directly by _Ixodes holocyclus_,
the paralysis tick. If so, it is an unusual event; many mammals are
susceptible to tick paralysis, but it is highly unusual to have so
many cases in animals as large in body size as horses and more likely
in young foals.

The paralysis tick is harboured by bandicoots and other native
Australian mammalian wildlife. It feeds, then leaves the host to lay
eggs, but does not die, then reattaches to a host to feed again. As
ticks get larger and more mature, they tend to be more toxic.

The paralysis tick becomes very active during the period late August
through January but remains a significant threat most of the year
along the eastern Australian coastal areas of Queensland and New South
Wales; it causes a great deal of intoxication for domestic cats, dogs
and small livestock such as young goats.

Being the 1st spring/summer season after a very wet year and 2
successive mild winters, the tick might present extraordinary risk
because the climatic conditions have likely favoured both the tick and
its native Australian wildlife hosts.

If indeed the confirmed diagnosis is _I. holocyclus_ paralysis, I can
only surmise that that the horses in question must have been infested
with numerous relatively mature ticks. The pasture on which they were
located must have been very heavily infested.

--
David Thomson
DV Grafton (NSW)
<thomson.david48@gmail.com>

[The blogs and tabloids report that this was an area being developed
for sprint horse racing. As such, having been recently moved to the
area, the horses were naive to local flora and fauna and clearly to
wild animals that may have been responsible for harboring the ticks.
They also report that there were ticks on the horses but make no
comment about how many. These same sources also indicate that a person
has contracted tick paralysis in the region, but I am unable to
confirm that report.

I wish to express my appreciation for Dr. Thomson's comment. I
appreciate input from someone in the region and who speaks to my own
doubts regarding ticks as the causative agent affecting so many of the
animals. - Mod.TG]

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Horses recover from mystery illnessABC
October 17, 2011, 3:17 pm

A man caring for three horses that survived a mystery ailment that has killed 22 horses on a Gold Coast hinterland property, says his charges appear to be in good health.

David Barry is confident there will be no more deaths at the Kooralbyn property.

...
Biosecurity Queensland expects results from detailed tests later this week.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/business/10483001/horses-recover-from-mystery-illness/

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Horse deaths still a mystery October 20, 2011 - 4:43PM

Biosecurity Queensland hopes to soon have some answers about a mystery illness that has killed 22 quarter horses on a south-east Queensland property.

David Barry, who is caring for the only three surviving horses on behalf of the owner, says the results of the latest tests are expected next week.

The horses started dropping dead a fortnight ago in a paddock at Kooralbyn, about 90 kilometres west of the Gold Coast.

Speculation over the cause of the deaths included contaminated water, tick poisoning and noxious weeds, but Mr Barry said they had all been ruled out.

...



Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/env...l-a-mystery-20111020-1m9sd.html#ixzz1bJhQmYQX

 

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Re: Australia: 23 horses dead in Kooralbyn, Queensland - possibly tick (ixodes holocyclus) related

Kooralbyn horse deaths News release | 02 November, 2011


After three weeks of comprehensive laboratory testing, Biosecurity Queensland believes that either scrub tick infestation or botulism was the likely cause of the deaths of 22 horses at a Kooralbyn property.

Chief Biosecurity Officer Jim Thompson said both conditions caused progressive muscular paralysis, as was seen with these horses, and it was often hard to differentiate between the two.

"Botulism is a bacteria that lives in soil and produces a toxin that affects the nervous system if ingested," he said.

"The other likely scenario is scrub tick poisoning. Witnesses have reported that the horses first noticed to be in distress on Thursday 6 October had been carrying large numbers of ticks.

"Fatal infestations of scrub tick on adult horses have been recorded in the past.

"This has been an unusual and complex case. Biosecurity Queensland worked closely with the attending private veterinarian and Queensland Health to test a range of samples from the horses and the paddock where they were kept.

"Despite carrying out such a thorough investigation, we know from experience that test results don't always pinpoint an exact cause of death.

"However based on the circumstances, Biosecurity Queensland believes scrub ticks or botulism were most likely responsible in this case."

Test results have excluded:

■Hendra virus
■pesticides
■heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cyanide, nitrate)
■toxic plants
■water contamination
■deliberate poisoning.

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_21112.htm