‘Armageddon’ disease could kill 90pc of horses as climate warms

A SICKNESS called the “Armageddon” of animal diseases could wipe out nine in 10 of Britain’s horses as the climate warms, experts fear.

African Horse Sickness would lay waste to the UK’s £7billion equine industry because horses here have no natural immunity.

The required 60-mile zones around stables hit by the disease would put an end to eventing, racing, showing of horses and leisure riding, according to the British Horse Society.

Although there has not been AHS in Europe since 1990 in Spain, vets fear that the warming climate and lack of biosecurity measures by importers could allow it to move northwards.

The midge which spreads AHS is already in Britain, and there have been recent UK outbreaks of bluetongue – related to the AHS virus – in sheep.

Experts fear that infected insects could travel on aircraft into the UK or be blown across from the continent if the disease emerged in Europe again.

Roly Owers, the chief executive of World House Welfare, said: “Exotic disease does present a real risk for the UK horse population, and AHS is the Armageddon of diseases due to its ex- tremely high fatality rate – plus the fact there is no effective vaccine.

“There is a real need for UK horse owners to improve biosecurity, which is a vital tool in helping to control all diseases.”

Defra views the current risk of AHS reaching the UK as very low and horses exported from Africa are subjected to stringent testing and quarantine.

However Mr Owers warned that not all owners and breeders were taking the necessary precautions, such as isolation for new arrivals.

Over the last 50 years, outbreaks of AHS have occurred in the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Spain (mid-Sixties and 1987-90) and Portugal (1989).

The British Horse Society said: “With climate change and an increase in the international movement of horses, there is a possibility that AHS could reach Britain, although the risk is not presently considered to be high.

“However, were AHS to arrive on these shores it is imperative that it is spotted quickly in order that it can be dealt with rapidly and prevented from spreading.”

The Equine Disease Coalition, which was established in 2011 to prevent outbreaks in Britain, is currently working towards an improved vaccine.