EHV-1 Outbreak in Several States
Horses in Colorado, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee may have contracted equine herpesvirus-1, and a ranch in Iowa is under quarantine.
The American Quarter Horse Journal
Colorado
From the Colorado Department of Agriculture (May 14, 2012)
The Colorado Department of Agriculture is investigating one confirmed case of EHV-1 within the state; a quarantine has been placed on a Douglas County premises.
The affected horse was imported by a private owner from Iowa through a transport company and was euthanized after showing severe neurological signs associated with the disease. There are three other facilities in Colorado that received horses from the same transport company. Those horses are isolated and are being closely monitored for any clinical signs of EHV.
Unlike the EHV-1 outbreak in 2011, this case is not associated with any equine show or event. To date, no other horses have become ill with similar signs. With the exception of the index and direct contact horses’ premises the state veterinarian is not recommending movement or event restrictions.
Keep reading the rest of this story from the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
Iowa
From the Des Moines Register (May 15, 2015)
Iowa agriculture officials have taken steps to quarantine an Iowa ranch after a horse sent to Colorado had an equine herpes virus that can be fatal to the animals.
Officials in Colorado euthanized the native Iowa horse after it showed signs of the disease. They also quarantined the Colorado ranch where the horse was staying when it was discovered to be ill.
Iowa Department of Agriculture spokesman Dustin Vande Hoef confirmed that steps already have been taken and that the site in northwest Iowa is quarantined.
The owners are monitoring the other animals, he said.
The quarantine began May 12 and will last 21 days. The department declined to identify the horse owners or give the exact location of the quarantine.
Read more from the Des Moines Register.
Kentucky
From the Office of Kentucky State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Stout (May 9, 2012)
On May 9, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture alerted Kentucky’s Agriculture Commissioner, James Comer, and staff in the Kentucky State Veterinarians Office of Dr. Robert Stout of an illness affecting horses that had participated in the Bucksnort Trail Ride held in Tennessee in late April. Information provided by Tennessee officials describe horses as presenting varying symptoms that include neurological abnormalities. The information released on May 9 also provided that the illness has resulted in four equine deaths with four additional horses demonstrating similar symptoms. On May 10, officials learned that preliminary diagnostic testing gives evidence that one or more of the sick horses may have contracted equine herpesvirus type-1.