Epm Case Studies
What is Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM)?
EPM is a neurological disease in horses caused by Sarcocystis neurona, a parasite that invades the brain and spinal cord. When undetected or untreated, EPM can cause serious damage to the horse’s central nervous system and in some cases be fatal.1,2
How do horses get EPM?
Opossums are definitive hosts for this parasite. Horses become infected with EPM through contact with opossum feces through grazing or by eating contaminated feed.1 Horses do not spread the disease to other horses.
What are the clinical signs of EPM?
The clinical signs of EPM range from very subtle to severe and mimic the signs of other equine disorders affecting the central nervous system such as Wobblers Syndrome, Rabies,
West Nile virus, Equine herpes, Equine motor neuron disease and others, making the disease difficult to definitively diagnose.
EPM is a neurological disease in horses caused by Sarcocystis neurona, a parasite that invades the brain and spinal cord. When undetected or untreated, EPM can cause serious damage to the horse’s central nervous system and in some cases be fatal.1,2
How do horses get EPM?
Opossums are definitive hosts for this parasite. Horses become infected with EPM through contact with opossum feces through grazing or by eating contaminated feed.1 Horses do not spread the disease to other horses.
What are the clinical signs of EPM?
The clinical signs of EPM range from very subtle to severe and mimic the signs of other equine disorders affecting the central nervous system such as Wobblers Syndrome, Rabies,
West Nile virus, Equine herpes, Equine motor neuron disease and others, making the disease difficult to definitively diagnose.