Eqine piroplasmosis had been eliminated in the United States.
Canada has lifted its ban on the importation of Florida horses due to the apparent containment of a rare disease that surfaced in Manatee County in August, state officials announced Friday.
The communication from Canada was sent through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the Florida Department of Agriculture.
"We have a good handle on the situation," said Terence McElroy, spokesman for the Florida department.
No horses have tested positive for equine piroplasmosis, or EP, since Sept. 17, and the remaining five positive horses are all located on one premises, said McElroy.
Agriculture officials believe the transmission of the disease resulted from management practices that included the use of a common needle to inject multiple horses and stabling the animals together in one stall.
EP is spread through the bite of a species of tick. The disease, which had been eradicated from the United States more than 20 years ago, is widespread throughout Central and South America, as well as some parts of Europe.
Approximately 50 ticks that have been shown to be experimental vectors for the blood-borne disease have been tested and found to be negative for EP, the release said.
Canada is still requiring Florida horses to meet the following additional requirements, such as an import permit for the Canadian importer and veterinary exams.
Since Aug. 19, farms and stables, including the five ranches where EP was first diagnosed, were placed under quarantine.
More than 200 horses were tested for the disease, with at least 20 animals testing positive for EP, state records show. The number of horses that had to be euthanizedwas not released Friday.
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