Professional paper
Equine infectious anemia in the Republic of Croatia: surveillance results and serological prevalence 2019–2025
Matko Perharić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
*
Iva Zečević
orcid.org/0000-0002-2549-6044
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Zvonimir Pavlović
orcid.org/0009-0002-7731-9717
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Iva Benvin
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Vladimir Stevanović
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Čorić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Gordana Miletić
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Suzana Hađina
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Josipa Habuš
orcid.org/0000-0002-9663-0466
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Nenad Turk
; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Equine infectious anaemia (EIA) is a transmissible infectious disease of equids caused by persistent infection with a virus from the family Retroviridae. Infected animals remain lifelong carriers and serve as a continuous source of infection throughout all stages of the disease. In the absence of effective immunoprophylaxis, identifying and humanely eliminating seropositive equids is the most effective strategy for disease control and eradication within equine populations. In the Republic of Croatia, until 2019, disease control and eradication were carried out through systematic serological screening of the entire equine population. After the introduction of the revised National Disease Surveillance Programme in 2019, the number of serologically tested equids was substantially reduced, and surveillance has since been conducted on a limited scale through 2025. During this seven-year period, a total of 18,501 equids were serologically tested, yielding an overall seroprevalence of 0.005%. The only seropositive animal detected during this period originated from Split-Dalmatia County. Given the markedly limited number of tested animals, the geographical proximity to
regions with high seroprevalence, increased vector activity, and the confirmed presence of EIA virus within the territory of the Republic of Croatia, the implementation of expanded control and surveillance measures is warranted to prevent further spread of the disease within the national equine population.
Keywords
equine infectious anaemia; EIA; seroprevalence; diagnostic; AGID test
Hrčak ID:
345869
URI
Publication date:
26.3.2026.
Visits: 195 *