Agriculture Department Issues Equine Infectious Anemia Quarantine for Dauphin County Horse Barn

Press Release

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture today announced a quarantine of an equine barn in Halifax, Dauphin County, after a horse at the barn tested positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) on Monday, April 18.

There are 19 other horses quarantined on the premises as part of the quarantine order. The EIA-positive horse had a routine health check, which included a Coggins test for EIA, less than a week after the horse moved from another barn elsewhere in Dauphin County.

The horse was stabled previously at an equine farm in Williamstown, Dauphin County, where another 13 horses are also under quarantine. The department is in the process of tracing the positive horse’s movement history.

The barns and horses are quarantined for at least 60 days. The quarantine can be lifted after the remaining horses are determined not to be infected. 

Clinical signs of the disease can range from a healthy looking horse to one with a fever, leg swelling and loss of strength. The disease is commonly transmitted by blood feeding insects.

There is no threat to human health from Equine Infectious Anemia. 

Horse owners with concerns may contact the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services at 717-772-2852.