NEW CASES OF EQUINE HERPES VIRUS REPORTED

June 1, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Three new cases of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) were reported in the U.S. and Canada over the holiday weekend, including one new case confirmed in California with neurological signs of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a potentially lethal condition.

Thus far, the outbreak stems from exposure at two locations: the Kern County Cutting Horse Event May 13 in Bakersfield, CA and the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Ogden Utah. All horses with the disease were either at the events or exposed to horses that attended.

In California, 20 cases of CHV-1/EHM have been confirmed in 13 counties and two horses have been euthanized; all cases are under quarantine. Thus far, no cases have been found in San Diego County.

For a complete list of counties impacted and tips for horse owners in California, see the California Department of Food and Agrictulture’s animal health website at: http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html . The Department recommends that event organizes establish “no fever” policies and ban horses that attended or came into contact with horses from the above two events.
 

Nationally, new cases have been reported in Idaho, bringing the total number of states impacted to nine. There is also a new case reported in Alberta, Canada. For additional information on the national and international outbreak, see: http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18326&src=VW