Systematic Veterinary Virology

INTRODUCTION

• Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is an infectious and potentially fatal viral disease of members of the horse family. EIA is significant historically because it is the first disease of horses proven to be caused by a “filterable virus”. EIAV is the first lentivirus–induced disease proven to be transmitted by insects. And EIA is the first persistent virus for which antigenic drift was defined. EIA is also the first lentivirus–induced disease for which a diagnostic test was approved.