Wyoming State Veterinarian Jim Logan, DVM, reported yesterday (June 22) that the state has received its first report of a confirmed case of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) related to the outbreak that began in mid-May, according to the Billings Gazette.

The report indicates that Logan said the horse, which is located in Johnson County, has been quarantined and remains under observation. The report also stated that another horse was euthanized after displaying clinical signs associated with the disease; however, it was not reported which signs were exhibited.

Although it’s not transmissible to humans, EHV-1 is highly contagious among horses and camelids, and it is generally passed from horse to horse via aerosol transmission (when affected animals sneeze/cough) and contact with nasal secretions. The disease can cause a variety of ailments in equines, including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease usually found in young horses), abortion in broodmares, and myeloencephalopathy (EHM, the neurologic form). Myeloencephalopathy is characterized by fever, ataxia (incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the hind limbs, and incontinence.

TheHorse.com will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available