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Published Date: 2011-04-17 11:46:04
Subject: PRO/AH> Equine herpesvirus - USA (05): (NY) quarantine lifted
Archive Number: 20110417.1201

EQUINE HERPESVIRUS - USA (05): (NY), CORNELL QUARANTINE LIFTED
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Date: 14 Apr 2011
Source: The Horse.com, Article # 18104 [edited]
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=18104

Cornell University's Equine Hospital returned to normal operating
status on 12 Apr 2011 when the quarantine put in place after 2 horses
tested positive for the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1)
was lifted. Additional biosecurity protocol is scheduled to remain in
place for at least another week.

According to a statement on Cornell's website: "The quarantine was
lifted from the equine hospital barns and some additional
college-owned barns on 12 Apr 2011 after temperatures (taken twice
daily) and additional tests conducted on all horses indicated that
EHV-1 is not present."

EHV-1 is a highly contagious virus that can cause a variety of
ailments in horses including rhinopneumonitis (a respiratory disease
mostly of young horses), abortion in broodmares, and
myeloencephalopathy (the neurologic form).

The quarantine was put into place in late March 2011 in response to 2
confirmed cases of the virus. One of the 2 confirmed EHV-1 cases
involved a one-day-old foal that was admitted to the equine hospital
on 18 Mar 2011. The foal died 2 days later of pneumonia, and tests
revealed the presence of EHV-1 on 25 Mar 2011. During the same time, a
gelding was being treated at the hospital for a spinal injury. He was
discharged on 22 Mar 2011 but became severely ill and showed
neurologic clinical signs after arriving back at his home farm. This
horse tested positive for EHV-1 on 30 Mar 2011 but is now recovering.

[Byline: Erica Larson]

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ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>

[We applaud Cornell staff for being alert to the signs of equine
herpesvirus-1 and for activating the biosecurity around the hospital.

For horse owners, this is a frightening and often devastating
disease. It must have been unsettling for a teaching hospital to find
that it was infected with this virus.

More information on equine herpesvirus can be found in ProMED-mail
post 20091212.4227. - Mod.TG]

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