There's a scary new disease out there that could potentially harm not only horses, but also humans. Less than two years ago a team of Florida-based veterinarians published a report of the first equine cutaneous (affecting the skin) leishmaniasis case diagnosed in the United States in a horse without history of international travel. And recently, Sarah M. Reuss, VMD, Dipl. ACVIM, shared her experience with the disease to raise awareness about this potentially dangerous problem among her fellow practitioners.

Reuss, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine, reviewed the condition and its clinical signs, diagnostic methods, and treatment options with veterinarians at the 2013 American Association of Equine Practitioners' Convention, held Dec. 7-11 in Nashville, Tenn.

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic (meaning it is transmissible between animals and people) disease well-documented (and potentially fatal) in humans and dogs worldwide. But it wasn't until 2012 that Reuss and colleagues identified the United State's first published autochthonous case (meaning one that's not related to foreign travel) in a 10-year-old Morgan mare. Recently, she said, Florida veterinarians confirmed a second leishmaniasis case in a middle-aged rescue mare, also with no history of international travel.

"It's only two cases, but our interest was piqued," she said