On June 26, an attending veterinarian confirmed a Houston County, Georgia, horse with (respiratory) equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4). The 3-year-old Quarter Horse stallion, which is reported as having been vaccinated, experienced onset of clinical signs (anorexia and fever) on June 25 and subsequently tested positive for EHV-4. The horse is recovering.

Two additional horses were exposed. A voluntary quarantine was enacted.

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).

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