The Michigan State Department of Agriculture reports that as of April 2, 2015, two additional Michigan horses have tested positive for EHV-1. Both horses developed fevers and are under veterinary care. One of these additional positive horses is from the same Livingston County stable in which the original horse with the disease resided.
Danger of exposure to equine herpes virus-1
Currently four facilities in Michigan are under quarantine, including the two facilities in which the EHV positive horses reside and they are being monitored for signs and symptoms of the EHV-1 illness.
The second additional positive horse is at a separate stable in Saginaw County in which horses attended a March 7, 2015 event in Barry County also attended by the initial positive EHV horse.
Currently four facilities in Michigan are under quarantine, including the two facilities in which the EHV positive horses reside. They are monitoring horses for signs and symptoms of illness as they have had exposure to the index horse and a fever over 101.5 Fahrenheit.
MDARD continues to trace all contacts of infected horses to ensure no further disease transmission has occurred. Horse owners are encouraged to vaccinate their horses and to contact their veterinarian if a horse has a fever greater than 101.5.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development issued quarantines last month involving more than 20 horses in Livingston, Barry, Ionia and Saginaw Counties. That was after a horse from a stable in Livingston County tested positive for EHV-1 and was later euthanized after its condition worsened.
It had not been vaccinated for the disease. Now, state officials say two additional horses have tested positive and are under veterinary care. One of them is from the same Livingston County stable previously affected. The second additional positive horse is at a separate stable in Saginaw County.
There are currently four facilities under quarantine, including the two facilities to which the EHV positive horses reside, that are monitoring horses for signs and symptoms of illness. The disease poses no harm to humans but can cause partial paralysis and death in horses.
The department says the Livingston County horse that had to be euthanized traveled for competitions and shows in Barry County on February 28th and March 7th. The horse also traveled for training to a facility in Livingston County on March 9th, 11th and 14th. Horse owners are being urged to vaccinate their animals and isolate any that might have had contact with the animal.
Equine herpes virus infection in horses can cause respiratory disease, abortion in mares, neonatal foal death, and neurological disease. The virus is not transmissible to humans. Damage to the blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord cause neurological signs to appear.