NTRA takes credit for streamlining of testing for glanders

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association is taking credit for pushing through a change to streamline a U.S. Department of Agriculture testing protocol for a fatal bacterial disease in imported horses. 

The testing procedure for glanders, which the University of California at Davis' Equine Health Center describes as a bacterial disease that is nearly always fatal and can spread from horses and other animals to humans, will be changed in an effort to reduce the number of false-positive tests, the NTRA said Friday in a news release.

Here is a lightly edited version of the release in its entirety:   

The NTRA is pleased to announce new guidance out of the USDA which will streamline the glanders testing protocol for importing horses into the United States. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has recently issued an update to its veterinary services guidance 13407.3, which pertains to the testing of horses during their import quarantine. This update introduces a new testing procedure for glanders, which previously has been susceptible to produce false positives.

“One of the number one issues I’ve heard in this job is how cumbersome USDA testing protocols slow down the import of horses and have in some instances left horses in quarantine unnecessarily for weeks,” NTRA president and CEO Tom Rooney said. “This updated guidance will help prevent needless delays for our owners and farms. We appreciate USDA and look forward to continuing to work with them to modernize common sense reforms for our industry.”

NTRA has been in ongoing discussions with the USDA concerning testing protocols and is encouraged by the USDA's responsiveness to our input, resulting in essential adjustments to the glanders testing protocol. The NTRA remains committed to championing policies that enhance the welfare of the equine community.

Below is a summary of the revised guidance regarding the glanders testing protocol:

A new testing protocol for glanders has been introduced, aimed at minimizing the possibility of false positive results without incurring additional costs for submitters. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories will now employ the double antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay as the official test for glanders. This daELISA test is more sensitive and specific compared to the existing complement fixation test. The daELISA results are binary, being either positive or negative, with no "suspect" outcomes. If daELISA results turn out positive, the veterinary services labs will conduct a Western blot as a confirmatory test. Horses testing negative in the Western blot confirmatory test will be classified as free from glanders and may be released.

The guidance took effect on Oct. 10.