Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) in the Nordheim District

On Thursday, July 30, 2026, equine infectious anemia was detected in a horse in the Salzderhelden area, Northeim district. The horse exhibited severe symptoms of the disease and was therefore euthanized even before the official diagnosis was made.

EIA is classified as a notifiable animal disease, and according to the county, appropriate measures were taken immediately. This means that a restricted zone has been established within a one-kilometer radius of the affected stable. Within this radius, equids—including not only horses and ponies but also donkeys, mules, hinnies, and, where applicable, zebras—are not permitted to leave their stalls. They must remain in their stalls. They may only leave the restricted zone with special permission. All horses within the quarantine zone are being tested to determine whether they might also be carriers of the EIA virus.

About Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)

EIA affects only equids. Other animal species and humans are not at risk. Horses and other equids are usually infected by blood-sucking insects; only very rarely are they infected indirectly through equipment, etc.

When the virus breaks out, affected animals develop a high fever that subsides and recurs in episodes. The horses are lethargic, weak, and may also exhibit ataxia; they have pale mucous membranes with pinpoint hemorrhages and often also edema, i.e., fluid accumulation.

The tricky thing about EIA is that the virus may or may not break out. It can also lie dormant in the body while the affected animal appears completely healthy on the outside. However, it is still contagious and therefore poses a danger to other horses. For this reason, horses in which the virus is detected must be euthanized. This is required by law, as EIA is incurable.

How did the virus reach Lower Saxony?

EIA is not actually endemic in Germany. Although there have been repeated cases in recent years, the affected animals were generally imported from abroad. According to the Northeim district administration, this was also the case here. Consequently, officials there believe the horse was already infected before it arrived in Germany.

To prevent the spread of the disease, horses within the restricted area must not only remain in their stalls; as a precaution, they are also all tested. This is done using a Coggins test, which screens the blood for antibodies against the virus.

If the first test comes back negative, the test is repeated after about three weeks to rule out the possibility that the infection is still too recent and the body may not have produced antibodies yet. Only after the second Coggins test is also negative may the quarantine be lifted.