DIAGNOSIS OF AFRICAN HORSESICKNESS

African horsesickness (AHS) is a very serious, non-contagious disease of horses and other solipeds caused by an arthropod-borne orbivirus of the family Reoviridae. The epizootic nature of the disease makes rapi d, accurate diagnosis of AHS absolutely essential. Currently, diagnosi s of AHS is based on typical clinical signs and lesions, a history con sistent with vector transmission and confirmation by laboratory detect ion of virus and/or anti-AHS virus antibodies. The clinicopathologic p resentation of AHS, current and next generation laboratory diagnostic methods are discussed.