As fall weather flourishes across the USA, infectious horse diseases continue to take their toll in many states according to the Equine Disease Communication Center which works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America.
Alerting horse owners about horse disease outbreaks
Frequent and accurate information about diseases outbreaks improves horse welfare and helps to prevent negative economic impact that can result from decreased horse use due to a fear of spreading infection.
The communication system is designed to seek and report real time information about disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts the human population about diseases in people.
The goal of the EDCC is to alert the horse industry about disease outbreak information to help mitigate and prevent the spread of disease. Ultimately frequent and accurate information about diseases outbreaks improves horse welfare and helps to prevent negative economic impact that can result from decreased horse use due to a fear of spreading infection.
On November 2, 2016, a new case or Eastern Equine Encephalitis case was confirmed in Highlands County, Florida. The 2 year old grade gelding had never received any type of vaccination and had no recent travel history. Clinical signs began on October 25 and the horse was euthanized for humane reasons the following day. This is the second confirmed EEE case in Highlands County and case 22 in Florida for 2016.
On November 3, 2016, a 5 year-old Saddlebred displaying severe neurologic signs and a 10 year-old Saddlebred in Los Angeles County displaying moderate neurologic signs were confirmed positive for the non-neuropathogenic strain Equine Herpesvirus-1 at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory. Due to severity of clinical signs, the 5 year-old horse was euthanized on November 3, 2016.
The Department has issued a quarantine for exposed horses at the facility and has implemented enhanced biosecurity measures. All exposed horses will have temperatures taken twice daily and be observed for clinical signs compatible with EHV.
The two confirmed positive horses, along with four other horses, recently returned from a horse show in Las Vegas, NV from Oct. 27-29, 2016. These horses returned to the California home premises on October 30.
Out of an abundance of caution, show management has notified trainers/owners participating in the event to recommend twice daily temperature monitoring and observation of compatible clinical signs. CDFA Animal Health Branch veterinarians are onsite monitoring the situation and will provide additional updates as they become available.
The University of Kentuckyâs Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, confirmed a diagnosis of West Nile virus affecting a 12-year old Palomino gelding in Powell County, KY. On 11/4/2016 the horse was lethargic and febrile and had a poor appetite. The horse, the 7th in Kentucky in 2016, had no history of West Nile virus vaccination and is recovering. Go To: http://www.kyagr.com/statevet/equine-infectious-diseases.html for more information.
On 11/4/2016, two additional cases of West Nile Virus in Kentucky were confirmed at Murray State Universityâs Breathitt Veterinary Center. A 10-year old Belgian mare in Logan County began showing clinical signs on October 31st. This horse presented with lethargy, mild ataxia predominantly in rear limbs, inappetence.
The attending veterinarian reported horse was showing some improvement on November 3rd. This horse has no WNV vaccination history. The second horse, a 2-year old American Saddlebred colt in Union County with no WNV vaccination history, began showing clinical signs on October 31st.
The colt presented with muscle fasciculation and mild ataxia. The attending veterinarian reported that colt was in stable condition, not worsening on November 3rd. These two cases are the 5th and 6th equine cases reported year-to-date in Kentucky, none of which are reported or thought to have been vaccinated.
Also on November 4, 2016, three additional horses were confirmed positive for the non-neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpesvirus-1 on the Los Angeles County index premises. Two of the three affected horses display neurologic signs and the third horse is febrile and all three are in isolation.
Two of these newly confirmed equine cases attended the Las Vegas horse show last week. At this time, no additional EHV-1 cases have been confirmed in horses that exhibited at the Las Vegas horse show on October 27 - 29, 2016.
Exposed horses on the Los Angeles index premises continue to have their temperatures monitored twice daily and enhanced biosecurity measures remain in place. CDFA Animal Health Branch veterinarians continue to monitor the quarantine and situation on-site and will provide additional updates as they become available.
On 11/8/2016, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture confirmed three more WNV positive horses bringing the total up to 12 for 2016. A 6 year QH gelding located in Atoka County. The horse was vaccinated a couple weeks prior to showing clinical signs. A 7 year old pony mare located in Atoka County. The pony was vaccinated a couple weeks prior to showing clinical signs. A 8yr QH gelding located in Sequoyah County. Vaccination history is unknown. For more information visit: http://www.ag.ok.gov
Also on 11/8/2016, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, a febrile horse displaying mild neurologic signs was confirmed positive for the non-neuropathogenic strain of Equine Herpesvirus-1.
Since issuance of the quarantine on November 3, 2016 a total of six horses displaying neurologic signs have been confirmed positive for Equine Herpesvirus Myelencephalopathy.
One of the six horses was euthanized on November 3rd due to the severity of clinical signs. All other confirmed positive horses remain in isolation and under quarantine. All exposed horses remain under quarantine and temperatures are being taken twice daily. Four of the six confirmed positive horses participated in a horseshow in Las Vegas, NV on October 24, -29, 2016.
At this time, no additional EHV-1 cases have been confirmed in horses that exhibited at the Las Vegas horse show. CDFA has confirmed that the host facility has taken biosecurity measures of thorough cleaning and disinfection of the show facility. CDFA Animal Health Branch veterinarians continue to monitor the quarantine and situation on-site and will provide additional updates as they become available. For more information go to: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html.
11/8/2016 The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has recently reported two new cases of WNV, one in Gibson County and one in Dyer County, and a case of EEE in Chester County. The vaccination status of the horses and the outcomes of the cases are unknown. For more information go to: http://www.tn.gov/agriculture/news/46602
On November 8, one premise in Broward County was placed under quarantine after a horse displayed neurologic signs and was confirmed positive for EHV-1 wild type strain via PCR. Currently, no other horses at the premises have presented with clinical signs consistent with EHV-1.
The index case died of natural causes late November 6 and started displaying neurologic signs the same day. All horses on the premises are required to have their temperatures taken twice daily with any temperatures above 101.5 reported to incident management and tested for EHV.
Additional biosecurity measures are in place. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as warranted. For additional information please click http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Animal-Industry and look under announcements near the bottom center of the page.
On November 10, 2016, an unvaccinated 17-year old Arabian mare in Ventura County,California, displaying neurologic signs was confirmed positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). The mare is recovering.
A total of twenty one (21) horses have been confirmed positive for WNV and are located in the following counties; Calaveras, Fresno(2), Merced, Riverside, Sacramento(3), San Diego, San Joaquin(7), Shasta, Sutter(2) and Ventura(2) counties. Eighteen of the positive horses were not current on their WNV vaccinations and two horses had unknown vaccination status.
Seven of the twenty one positive confirmed horses died or were euthanized. CDFA continually monitors and investigates equine neurologic cases for the presence of WNV in California. CDFA urges horse owners to consult their veterinarian concerning a WNV vaccination program to ensure maximum protection of their horses. For additional information visit : https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/WNV_Info.html
On 11/10/2016, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, two additional horses were moved to quarantined isolationâone due to elevated temperature with pending EHV-1 test results and the other with elevated temperature and confirmed positive for non-neuropathogenic EHV-1 nasal swab. Nine horses currently reside in quarantined isolation.
The three barns remain under quarantine with enhanced biosecurity and horsesâ temperatures are monitored twice daily. CDFA Animal Health Branch veterinarians continue to monitor the quarantine and situation on-site and will provide additional updates as they become available. Go to: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html
Also on November 10, a new case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis was confirmed in Marion County, Florida. The 15 year old paint mare was vaccinated years prior but had not been vaccinated recently and had no recent travel history. Clinical signs began on October 28 and the mare is currently recovering. This is the second confirmed EEE case in Marion County and case 23 in Florida for 2016.
On November 14, 2016 one horse at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center (LAEC), displaying a fever yesterday and placed in quarantined isolation, has been confirmed positive for non-neuropathogenic EHV-1 today.
Additionally, the two febrile horses which tested negative on November 10, 2016, were re-sampled yesterday and testing confirmed negative status. Currently, quarantined isolation is home to twelve (12) horses. To date, there have been seven confirmed cases of Equine Herpesvirus-1 Myeloencephalopthy (EHM), one of which was euthanized due to the severity of the disease.
The remaining six neurologic cases are showing improvement and remain in isolation. Enhanced biosecurity measures are in place in all barns under quarantine and all horsesâ temperatures are monitored twice daily. CDFA veterinarians, livestock inspectors and USDA animal health technicians continue to monitor the quarantine and incident situation on-site and will provide additional updates as they become available.