Flu Facts

Equine influenza virus (EIV) is one of the most common and contagious infectious upper respiratory diseases in the horse. Equine influenza is caused by highly variable strains of the influenza A (H3N8) virus, which is endemic in horses and other equus species. It spreads rapidly with clinical signs appearing within 24 to 48 hours following exposure, and can be transmitted more than 50 yards through the air by a coughing horse. In an unvaccinated horse population that has never been exposed to the virus, EIV has a nearly 100 percent infection rate. Historically, flu outbreaks have caused significant economic loss and made a devastating impact on the horse industry. Today, flu continues to be a substantial international threat.

Influenza viruses are constantly changing at the molecular level as they pass from one host to another. This process of minor evolutionary mutations and alterations, known as antigenic drift, leads to new virus strains that a horse’s immune system doesn’t recognize. Due to the changes that can occur with EIV, it is paramount to update vaccines to keep up with these antigenic changes. This helps ensure that vaccine strains provide relevant protection against influenza viruses currently circulating in our equine populations.

Antigenic drift is a term used to describe how the influenza virus changes and mutates over time, making it look different to the immune system. It is not specific to equine influenza ‐ the same phenomenon occurs with influenza viruses affecting other species, including humans.

Clade is a common phylogenetic term used when referring to evolutionary or ancestral trees ‐ defined as a group of organisms that consists of a common ancestor. In the case of equine influenza, clade is used to describe recently isolated viruses (or strains) of equine influenza that belong to the same family ‐ or sublineage ‐ but have antigenic differences. All recently isolated influenza viruses (or strains) in North America and Europe belong to the Florida clades 1 and 2 sublineages, respectively. Clade 1 primarily circulates in the United States, while clade 2 predominantly circulates in Europe and Asia.

Office International des Epizooties is the World Organisation for Animal Health ‐ commonly abbreviated as OIE. The OIE Expert Surveillance Panel on Equine Influenza is responsible for monitoring equine influenza and providing recommendations on vaccine strains.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Expert Surveillance Panel on Equine Influenza currently recommends that vaccines contain both clade 1 and clade 2 viruses of the Florida sublineage. Clade 1 primarily circulates in the United States, while clade 2 predominantly circulates in Europe and Asia. Although there have been no clade 2 influenza outbreaks in the U.S., clade 2 protection is considered an additional safeguard for the many horses that travel internationally.

No. While there have been no reported outbreaks of equine influenza from clade 2 infected horses in the U.S., we suspect it may just be a matter of time as we see more international movement in our equine populations.

Florida ‘13 represents a current, clinically significant strain of equine influenza that was responsible for a large influenza outbreak in well-vaccinated horses. In February 2013, the annual Ocala Horse Shows in the Sun (HITS) international event experienced a large outbreak of equine herpesvirus type 1 and equine influenza that impacted a large number of horses. The highly pathogenic strain of influenza that impacted these horses was ultimately isolated and identified as Florida ‘13 through the Merck Animal Health Respiratory Biosurveillance Program, and is now part of our inactivated line of equine influenza vaccines. Florida ‘13 is a clade 1 influenza strain.

Influenza outbreaks in well-vaccinated horses are generally indicative of antigenic drift which leads to inadequate protection. Analysis of the Florida ‘13 strain confirmed that significant antigenic drift had indeed occurred and that this isolate was notably different from viruses contained in other vaccines. Specifically, Florida ‘13 differs from OH ‘03 (OIE recommended clade 1 isolate) by seven amino acid changes, and five of those mutations occur on the surface of the hemagglutinin (HA) glycoprotein and are in or near regions associated with antibody binding or receptor binding sites ‐ making them clinically significant. This is likely why Florida ‘13 was able to “break through” and cause disease in these well-vaccinated horses from across the country and world that were competing at the HITS show.

Since 2008, Merck Animal Health, in collaboration with the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine (UC Davis) has been conducting an ongoing, voluntary equine biosurveillance program to study the prevalence and epidemiology of relevant viral and bacterial upper respiratory pathogens. Submitted samples are tested for six infectious upper respiratory disease pathogens, including equine herpesvirus types 1 and 4, equine influenza virus, S. equi subspecies equi (strangles) and equine rhinitis A/B viruses. It was through this program that the new Florida ‘13 strain of influenza was identified and isolated.

Merck Animal Health influenza-containing inactivated virus vaccines include Florida ‘13, Richmond ‘07 and Kentucky ‘02 strains. Florida ‘13 and Richmond ‘07 are new strains that were added to the existing Kentucky ‘02 strain. With these strains, Merck Animal Health is providing protection against currently circulating equine influenza strains, as recommended by the OIE.

All Merck Animal Health Prestige^® influenza-containing inactivated vaccines will include the updated influenza strains.

Yes. Horses that travel are particularly susceptible to influenza. This is because their immune system may be compromised due to the stress of travel, as well as the increased exposure to other horses and environments. Outbreaks of influenza most frequently occur when susceptible horses are transported to racetracks, showgrounds and sales, and then housed in close quarters. In addition, horses that rarely travel should also be vaccinated against influenza if they are exposed to traveling horses.