ITHACA -- Veterinarians from the Equine Hospital at Cornell University are investigating two confirmed cases of Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) in New York State. There is concern that they could have potentially exposed 69 other horses.
EHV-1 is a common viral infection of horses that's highly contagious. Symptoms range from no clinical signs to neurological disorders.
"While a common virus in horses, we are taking this situation very seriously given the large number of horses that have potentially been exposed to a highly communicable and sometimes fatal disease," said Dr. David Smith, New York State Veterinarian. "To date, no other horses have showed signs, nor tested positive for the virus. However, this serves as an excellent reminder to horse owners that they should always be cautious of introducing new horses with an unknown disease status."
One case involved a one-day old foal that was admitted to the Equine Hospital on March 18th. The foal died two days later of pneumonia, and tests revealed the presence of EHV-1 on March 25.
At the same time, a gelding was being treated at the hospital for a spinal injury. It was discharged on March 22, but became severely ill and showed neurological symptoms after arriving back at its home farm. This horse tested positive for EHV-1 on March 30. The gelding is now recovering.
When the cases were confirmed, both the gelding's farm and the Equine Hospital were quarantined immediately, restricting movement and access to animals at both facilities. Horses at both facilities are being monitored closely and having their temperatures taken twice daily. So far, no animals have exhibited a fever attributable to EHV-1, which would be an early warning of the virus.
Health officials are now trying to pinpoint the source of the infection and identify and isolate potentially exposed horses.
The virus does not affect humans or dogs, cats, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs or birds; although, alpacas and llamas can be affected.
If you are the owner or caretaker of a horse that has been at the Equine Hospital at Cornell on or after March 18, 2011 or that may have come in contact with a potentially exposed patient, the following guidelines are recommended:
- Isolate your animal, if possible. It is always recommended that horses returning from veterinary hospitals be isolated for three weeks when possible.
- Check your horse's temperature twice a day for ten days. If the temperature is 102 degrees Fahrenheit or greater, contact your veterinarian immediately.
- If you care to test your horse, consult your veterinarian. At this time, the preferred test is PCR analysis performed on nasal swab specimens.
Since March 30, 2011, the Equine Hospital at Cornell University has been quarantined. All movement of animals between the equine barns and other Cornell facilities is not permitted at this time, and the hospital is only accepting emergency cases. Out of an abundance of caution, the quarantine at the hospital will remain in effect through April 11.
For more information on EHV-1, click here.
