The Loudoun County horse was at a boarding stable that has been placed under quarantine. Two exposed horses were traced back to a Maryland boarding stable, and VDACS has alerted the Maryland state veterinarian. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The horse was at a boarding stable that has been placed under quarantine. Two exposed horses were traced back to a Maryland boarding stable, and VDACS has alerted the Maryland state veterinarian. The exposed horses are receiving twice-daily monitoring for temperature exceeding 101.5°F and other clinical signs. No other Virginia horses have been exposed.

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 herpes myeloencephalopathy (the neurologic form).

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