A fourth stallion in Wisconsin has tested positive for contagious equine metritis, or CEM, a treatable reproductive disease of horses. One mare has also tested positive in the state. Nationwide, 12 stallions and three mares have been found to be infected.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, reported the positive test result earlier this week. The stallion, a 26-year-old Saddlebred housed in Winnebago County, has been quarantined. Like the three stallions that tested positive previously, this one was exposed to the bacterial infection at an artificial insemination center. However, he was not exposed to the Outagamie County stallion that was the first to test positive in Wisconsin.

“While the source of the outbreak is still not known, some have presumed that Nanning, the first CEM-positive stallion we reported in Wisconsin, was the original source. This result makes it clear that he was not,” said Wisconsin State Veterinarian Robert Ehlenfeldt, DVM. “This latest infection dates to 2006 and possibly 2005. The first CEM-positive stallion we reported was infected in a different insemination facility, and he was infected in 2007 or later, our investigation shows.”

Watch a video interview on contagious equine metritis with Dr. Peter Timoney.

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