Transboundary Emerging and Exotic Animal Disease/ Exotic Animal Disease Practice Exam

Which disease is associated with symptoms of anemia in affected animals?

1. Heartwater

2. Equine babesiosis

3. East Coast fever

4. African swine fever

The correct answer is: East Coast fever

The choice of African swine fever as the disease associated with symptoms of anemia in affected animals is relevant due to its pathogenic mechanism and the clinical signs observed in infected pigs. African swine fever (ASF) is a viral disease that causes high mortality rates in domestic pigs and can lead to severe disruptions in blood cell production and function. One prominent effect of ASF is the destruction of red blood cells, which can lead to anemia, characterized by fatigue, weakness, and pale mucous membranes. While heartwater, equine babesiosis, and East Coast fever each have their own pathologies and symptoms, anemia is particularly notable in African swine fever due to the virus’s aggressive impact on blood components and immune response. Heartwater is primarily associated with neurological signs and does not prominently feature anemia, while equine babesiosis is caused by protozoan parasites that do lead to hemolytic anemia, but are less commonly recognized in terms of broad animal disease contexts compared to ASF. East Coast fever, caused by a protozoan and primarily affecting cattle, also presents with fever and lymphadenopathy rather than a definitive anemia as one of its main symptoms. In summary, African swine fever’s devastating impact on blood cells is the key reason it is associated