Covering sickness, or
dourine (French, from the Arabic
darina, meaning mangy (said of a female camel), feminine of
darin, meaning dirty), is a disease of
horses and other members of the family
equidae. The disease is caused by
Trypanosoma equiperdum, which belongs to an important genus of parasitic
protozoa, and is the only member of the genus that is spread through sexual intercourse. The occurrence of dourine is notifiable in the European Union under legislation from the OIE. There currently is no vaccine and although clinical signs can be treated, there is no cure.