Three More Virginia Horses Confirmed With EHM

Two of the four affected horses have been euthanized.
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Powhatan County, Virginia
Officials at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed that a total of four horses at a Powhatan County boarding facility have tested positive for neurologic EHV-1. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons

​On Dec. 3, officials at the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) confirmed that a total of four horses at a Powhatan County boarding facility have tested positive for neurologic EHV-1.

The first horse was confirmed Nov. 29, with four suspected cases and 10 more horses exposed at the facility. Three of the four suspected cases have now also tested positive. Two of the affected horses, including the index case, were euthanized. The other two affected horses are stable.

 

EHV 101

Herpesvirus is highly contagious among horses and can cause a variety of ailments in equids, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalitis (EHM, the neurologic form).

equine herpesvirus
VIDEO | Health Alert: Equine Herpesvirus

In many horses, the first or only sign of EHV-1 infection is fever, which can go undetected. In addition to fever, other common signs of EHV-1 infection in young horses include cough, decreased appetite, depression, and a nasal discharge. Pregnant mares typically show no signs of infection before they abort, and abortions usually occur late in gestation (around eight months) but can be earlier. Abortions can occur anywhere from two weeks to several months following infection with EHV-1.

Horses with EHM usually have a fever at the onset of the disease and might show signs of a respiratory infection. A few days later, neurologic signs such as ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the fore- and hind limbs, urine retention and dribbling, loss of tail tone, and recumbency (inability to rise) develop.

Herpesvirus is easily spread by nose-to-nose or close contact with an infectious horse; sharing contaminated equipment including bits, buckets, and towels; or clothing, hands, or equipment of people who have recently had contact with an infectious horse. Routine biosecurity measures, including hygiene and basic cleaning and disinfection practices, should be in place at all times to help prevent disease spread.

Current EHV-1 vaccines might reduce viral shedding but are not protective against the neurologic form of the disease. Implementing routine biosecurity practices is the best way to minimize viral spread, and the best method of disease control is disease prevention.

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