Editor’s Note: By clicking on this link, you will find an image of a cluster of Eastern tent caterpillars on their tent provided by Terry Fitzgerald, PhD, the “tent caterpillar guru” based at The State University of New York who helped researchers during the 2001-2002 outbreak. This image, which might take a few seconds to open, will help you identify the Eastern tent caterpillar.

One confirmed case and two suspect cases of mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS) have been diagnosed in Alachua County, Florida, according to Dana Zimmel, DVM, Dipl. ACVIM, Dipl. ABVP, of the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. One mare produced a septic foal on March 18, 2006 that was euthanatized after two days of intensive treatment. University of Florida pathologist John Roberts, DVM, Dipl. ACVP, who worked at the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center during the MRLS outbreaks in Kentucky in 2001-2002, concluded that the pathology on that foal was consistent with MRLS.

Eastern tent caterpillars ANNE EBERHARDT PHOTOS

Samples from an earlier abortion on the same farm were re-examined and showed indications of MRLS; Roberts has termed that case suspect. The third case was a foal born on March 26, 2006, that was treated in the neonatal intensive care unit at the University of Florida for 12 hours before being euthanatized. Although complete histopathologic evaluation will not be completed until tomorrow (March 30), Roberts said the pathology was consistent with MRLS