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Published Date: 2012-04-12 10:18:11
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (07): USA (CA)
Archive Number: 20120412.1098003

EQUINE HERPESVIRUS, EQUINE - NORTH AMERICA (07): USA (CALIFORNIA)
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Date: Tue 10 Apr 2012
Source: The Horse [edited]
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=19860

Neurologic EHV-1 identified in California
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The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has confirmed that a mare from Santa Barbara County, California, was positive for the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) at necropsy on 6 Apr 2012. According to a CDFA statement, the 11-year-old mare became ataxic (incoordinated) and recumbent in her stall on 30 Mar 2011. She was placed under veterinary care, but was unresponsive to treatment, the statement said. The mare was euthanized on 31 Mar 2012.

The mare was shipped to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory for necropsy, the statement said. She was confirmed positive for neurologic EHV-1 on 6 Apr 2012, the statement said. No additional information was immediately available.

Meanwhile, a mare in Los Angeles County, California, who tested positive for a non-neurologic strain of EHV-1 on 30 Mar 2012 was euthanized 7 Apr 2012 after developing severe laminitis.

The Los Angeles County mare was the 4th California horse confirmed positive for the non-neurologic strain stemming from the HITS Thermal Horse Show, which took place 5-11 Mar 2012, in Thermal, California The other 3 horses have recovered and have been released from quarantine.

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).

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

[Byline: Erica Larson]

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[California has had a number of cases of both the neurological and non-neurological forms of this disease. Clearly the neurological form is much worse and fearful to any horse owner.

Owners should pay close attention to your horse. When the horse is stressed, not feeling well, or just off, then give the animal time to rest, as well as recognize that diseases can be transmitted. Therefore keep your horse at home, and not on the road to some show. - Mod.TG

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1hcv.]

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