Division 2.1 Specific requirements for African horse sickness

Equine animals must comply with the set of requirements laid down in one of the points set out below.

1. (a)

   the animals have been kept in isolation in vector-protected facilities for a period of at least 30 days prior to dispatch to the Union and a serological and an agent identification test for African horse sickness were carried out with negative result in each case on a blood sample taken not less than 28 days after the date of introduction into the vector-protected facilities and within a period of 10 days prior to the date of dispatch;

2. (b)

   the animals have been kept in isolation in vector-protected facilities for a period of at least 40 days prior to the date of dispatch to the Union and serological tests to detect antibodies against African horse sickness -virus were carried out with no significant increase in antibody titre on blood samples collected on two occasions, with an interval of not less than 21 days, the first sample being collected at least 7 days after introduction into the vector-protected facilities;

3. (c)

   the animals have been kept in isolation in vector-protected facilities for a period of at least 14 days prior to dispatch and an agent identification test for African horse sickness virus was carried out with negative result on a blood sample taken not less than 14 days after the date of introduction into the vector-protected facilities and not more than 72 hours before the time of dispatch;

4. (d)

   there is documented evidence that the animals have been vaccinated against African horse sickness with a complete primary course, and revaccinated according to manufacturer’s instructions, with a licensed vaccine against all serotypes of the African horse sickness virus present in the source population at least 40 days prior to entry into the vector-protected facilities, and the animals have been kept in isolation in vector-protected facilities for a period of at least 40 days;

5. (e)

   the animals have been kept in isolation in vector-protected facilities for a period of at least 30 days prior to the date of dispatch to the Union and underwent a serological test for the detection of antibodies against the African horse sickness virus, carried out by the same laboratory, on the same day, on blood samples taken during the isolation period in vector-protected facilities on two occasions with an interval of between 21 and 30 days. The second of these must have been taken within a period of 10 days prior to the date of dispatch, with negative results in each case or with a negative result in an agent identification test for African horse sickness virus on the second sample.