Coggins is actually the name of a test used to diagnose equine infectious anemia (EIA). EIA is a viral disease caused by a retrovirus. In many aspects, EIA is similar to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). EIA is transmitted from one animal by body fluids, primarily blood, by biting insects and common needle/instrument use. Once infected, a horse may have one of three things happen: first, acute infection with a high fever, anemia, and death. If the infection is not so severe, the horse will have cyclic periods of illness with fever, weight loss, chronic anemia, and possibly swelling of limbs and ventral body. The horse may die during one of these bouts or be tested for EIA and euthanized. Finally, some horses become inapparent carriers and are found to be positive on the Coggins test. These horses are then required to be euthanized or isolated as they are a source of infection for other horses because there is no cure.
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