Kentucky State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout, DVM, has lifted the quarantine on a barn at Churchill Downs after test results confirmed that the remaining horses in the barn were not infected with equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).

Stout imposed the quarantine on Barn 47 in late October after a horse trained by David Carroll tested positive for the virus.

Tests conducted on nasal swabs and blood samples taken from the Carroll horses Tuesday were negative for equine herpesvirus, said Rusty Ford, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s equine program manager. Based on the testing, an evaluation of the horses and the barn, and consultation with attending veterinarians, Stout concluded that the Carroll horses do not have an active EHV-1 infection and had minimal opportunity to be exposed to the virus.

Today’s order releases the remaining Carroll horses. Horses on the other side of the barn, which are in the care of another trainer, were released last week.

The infected horse, a 3-year-old Thoroughbred, continues to improve at a Lexington equine hospital, Ford said.

Equine herpesvirus occurs primarily in younger horses. Because EHV-1 can spread through direct contact or through the air, the disease is a concern where groups of horses congregate. The clinical signs of EHV-1 include fever and nasal discharge, and more rarely, neurologic signs (including an inability to control the hind limbs and tail), and abortions.

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