[Federal Register: September 20, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 183)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 56807-56809]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20se00-25]
[[Page 56807]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 75
[Docket No. 99-074-1]
Equine Viral Arteritis
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We are soliciting public comment to help us develop options
for an equine viral arteritis regulatory program for horses within the
United States. Equine viral arteritis is primarily a respiratory
disease of horses. Equine viral arteritis is not widespread in the
United States; however, the equine industry within the United States
regards the disease as a potentially significant and increasing
economic threat. After evaluating public comment on the issues
presented in this document, we will determine whether to propose
changes to our regulations.
DATES: We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all
comments that we receive by November 20, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Please send your comment and three copies to: Docket No. 99-
074-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03,
4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 99-074-1.
You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Timothy Cordes, Senior Staff
Veterinarian, National Animal Health Programs Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-3279.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations in 9 CFR part 75 (referred to below as the
regulations) govern the interstate movement of horses, asses, ponies,
mules, and zebras that test positive for communicable diseases. The
purpose of the regulations is to prevent the interstate spread of
communicable diseases in equines. Equine viral arteritis (EVA) is not
currently addressed by the regulations.
EVA is an acute, contagious, viral disease characterized by fever,
edema, conjunctivitis, nasal discharge, and abortion. Aerosol
transmission is the principal means of the spread of infection among
horses that are closely congregated in places such as racetracks,
shows, and sales. However, the disease can also be spread venereally by
infected stallions or infected semen. In fact, infected stallions play
a significant role in maintaining EVA infection in horse populations.
When a mare, gelding, or sexually immature colt becomes infected
with EVA, the disease will run its course and the animal will eliminate
the virus. However, when a stallion becomes infected with EVA, the EVA
virus localizes in the stallion's reproductive system, and the stallion
becomes a reservoir of the disease. As a consequence, the EVA virus can
be shed continuously in the stallion's semen. If a stallion is
serologically positive, it has a 50 percent chance of shedding the
virus in its semen. Virus isolation can be performed on the stallion's
semen to determine whether the stallion is shedding the EVA virus. If
the stallion is shedding the EVA virus in its semen, the stallion is
considered a shedder. Stallions that are shedders can infect mares
during breeding, and infected mares can spread the disease to their
foals in utero or to other horses through aerosol transmission.
EVA can pose a number of problems for horse owners, horse breeders,
and the equine performance industry. Horses that have EVA antibodies,
which can be present due to vaccination against the disease or
infection with the EVA virus, can be barred from entering foreign
countries for racing or competition purposes. In addition, semen
collected from stallions that are shedders is barred from importation
into many countries. However, economically, the most damaging aspect of
EVA is that the disease can cause abortion in pregnant mares. Abortion
rates due to EVA can be as high as 70 percent.
At this time, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) does not have a program to control EVA because the disease is
not perceived to be widespread in the United States, and confirmed
outbreaks are sporadic. However, the equine industry within the United
States has requested that APHIS initiate surveillance, control, and
possibly eradication of EVA and has indicated a willingness to assist
in the implementation of such programs. This document requests public
comment on five possible programs to address EVA. Each program is
discussed below, and each succeeding program is more restrictive.
Minimal Voluntary Program
The U.S. equine industry would develop, manage, and monitor this
program. This program would include an educational program for equine
producers and equine practitioners regarding the etiology, treatment,
and prevention of EVA. In addition, this program would include a
method, to be determined by the equine industry, to identify infected
semen and stallions that are shedders. APHIS would not have regulatory
involvement with this program.
Voluntary Control Program
The U.S. equine industry would develop, manage, and monitor this
program with cooperation from APHIS and individual States. This program
would include an educational program for equine producers and equine
practitioners regarding the etiology, treatment, and prevention of EVA.
In addition, APHIS would quarantine imported stallions at the time of
arrival and test them to determine whether they are serologically
positive for EVA. APHIS would also test imported equine semen for EVA
at the time of arrival. APHIS would note the test results on the import
permit accompanying the stallion or semen, release the stallion or
semen, and notify animal health regulatory officials in the State of
destination of any that were positive. APHIS would recommend that each
State determine whether to conduct further testing of positive
stallions upon entry into the State.
APHIS would also recommend that each State develop an EVA program
that includes testing domestic stallions and semen for EVA and
controlling the intrastate movement of EVA-positive stallions,
stallions that are shedders, and infected semen. In addition, APHIS
would recommend that States make all test results for domestic and
imported stallions and semen a matter of public record.
[[Page 56808]]
Voluntary and Uniform Control Program
The U.S. equine industry would develop, manage, and monitor this
program with cooperation from APHIS and individual States. This program
would include an educational program for equine producers and equine
practitioners regarding the etiology, treatment, and prevention of EVA.
In addition, APHIS would develop a program standards document entitled,
``Uniform Methods and Rules--Equine Viral Arteritis'' (UM&R). APHIS
would draft this document with cooperation from the States, the equine
industry, and other interested entities. The UM&R would be based on
standards set by the Office International des Epizooties and guidelines
of the American Horse Council. The UM&R would contain uniform standards
that States could use for detecting, controlling, and preventing EVA,
as well as recommended standards for the intrastate and interstate
movement of stallions that are serologically positive for EVA,
stallions that are shedders, and infected semen. The UM&R would be
available for use as a guidance document only.
As in the Voluntary Control Program, APHIS would quarantine
imported stallions at the time of arrival and test them to determine
whether they are serologically positive for EVA. APHIS would also test
imported equine semen for EVA at the time of arrival. APHIS would note
the test results on the import permit accompanying the stallion or
semen, release the stallion or semen, and notify animal health
regulatory officials in the State of destination of any that were
positive. APHIS would recommend that positive stallions be moved to an
approved location in the State of destination for virus isolation
testing by the State.
APHIS would also recommend that each State develop an EVA program
that includes testing domestic stallions and semen for EVA. As part of
this program, APHIS would recommend that each State determine the
serology of a stallion upon entry into the State and record its test
result on the stallion's health certificate. APHIS would recommend that
the State conduct a virus isolation test on positive stallions. APHIS
would also recommend that each State test equine semen for EVA upon
entry into the State and record its test result on the semen's health
certificate. APHIS would further recommend that infected semen and
stallions that are positive or shedding the EVA virus be handled in
accordance with the UM&R. In addition, APHIS would recommend that
States make all test results for domestic and imported stallions and
semen a matter of public record.
Certification Program
APHIS would develop this program with cooperation from individual
States and the U.S. equine industry. This program would include an
educational program for equine producers and equine practitioners
regarding the etiology, treatment, and prevention of EVA. It would
include use of the UM&R previously described and a new component a
certification program that States could participate in.
As in the previous two programs described, APHIS would quarantine
imported stallions at the time of arrival and test them to determine
whether they are serologically positive for EVA. APHIS would also test
imported equine semen for EVA at the time of arrival. APHIS would note
the test results on the import permit accompanying the stallion or
semen and release the stallion or semen. However, APHIS would release
imported positive stallions and infected semen only to States
participating in the certification program. In addition, APHIS would
restrict the interstate movement of known domestic infected semen and
stallions that are positive or shedders to those States participating
in the certification program.
To be a participating State, a State would have to: (1) Conduct a
virus isolation test on positive stallions upon movement into the State
after release from APHIS import quarantine stations; (2) determine the
serology of any domestic stallion upon its entry into the State, record
the test result on the stallion's health certificate, and conduct a
virus isolation test on stallions that test positive; (3) test domestic
equine semen for EVA upon entry into the State and note the semen's
status on its health certificate; (4) regulate the intrastate movement
of infected semen and stallions that are positive or shedding the EVA
virus in accordance with the UM&R. Also, APHIS would recommend that
States make all test results for domestic and imported stallions and
semen a matter of public record.
For a State that does not participate in the certification program,
APHIS would recommend that the State develop an EVA program that
includes testing domestic stallions and semen for EVA. As part of this
program, APHIS would recommend that the State determine the serology of
a stallion upon entry into the State, record the test result on the
stallion's health certificate, and perform a virus isolation test on
stallions that test positive. APHIS would also recommend that the State
test equine semen for EVA upon entry into the State and record the test
result on the semen's health certificate. In addition, APHIS would
recommend that the State regulate the intrastate movement of infected
semen and stallions that are positive or shedding the EVA virus in
accordance with the UM&R. Also, APHIS would recommend that States make
all test results for domestic and imported stallions and semen a matter
of public record.
Eradication Program
APHIS would develop this program with cooperation from individual
States and the U.S. equine industry. This program would include an
educational program for equine producers and equine practitioners
regarding the etiology, treatment, and prevention of EVA. It would
include the use of the UM&R previously described.
Again, APHIS would quarantine all imported stallions at the time of
arrival and test them to determine whether they are serologically
positive for EVA. APHIS would move any imported stallion that tested
positive for EVA to an APHIS-approved location for virus isolation
testing to determine whether it was a shedder. APHIS would also test
imported equine semen for EVA at the time of arrival. APHIS would
record the test results on the import permit accompanying the stallion
or semen. If APHIS determined that a stallion was not a shedder or that
the imported semen was negative, we would release the stallion or
semen. Positive stallions would be allowed to proceed to their
destination; however, we would prohibit shedders and infected semen
from entering the United States.
Under this program, APHIS would also require stallions and semen to
be tested for EVA prior to interstate movement. The test results would
have to be recorded on the health certificate accompanying the stallion
or semen interstate. Also, APHIS would require a permit for the
interstate movement of stallions that are shedders and infected semen.
APHIS would recommend that each State conduct a virus isolation test on
a stallion's semen the first time it is used for breeding purposes in
that State. APHIS would also recommend that infected semen and
stallions that are positive or shedding the EVA virus be moved
intrastate in accordance with the UM&R. In addition, APHIS would
initiate an EVA-vaccination program for domestic mares.
We welcome comments on the options described above and encourage
the submission of new options or any suggestions.
[[Page 56809]]
Authority: 21 U.S.C, 111-113, 115, 117, 120, 121, 123-126, and
134-134h; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.
Done in Washington, DC this 14th day of September 2000.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 00-24135 Filed 9-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-U
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