April 5, 2010 

Agricultural Officials Issue Alert: Contagious Equine Virus

 

MDAR is alerting horse owners, breeders, and veterinarians of four horses that were known to have been exposed to the EHV-1, a contagious virus, in New Jersey and were subsequently transported to Massachusetts. Since one of the horses has since tested positive for the virus and is exhibiting clinical signs associated with the disease, agricultural officials are urging horse owners to take precautions to curb possible spreading of the virus among the state’s horse population. EHV-1 is a contagious disease of horses, which can cause respiratory illness, spontaneous abortion, neurological disease, and death.  This virus does not pose a risk to humans.

 

Suggested precautions:

• Effective vaccines for the disease are available.  Horse owners should discuss vaccination with their veterinarian.

• Anyone who is in contact with horses should adhere to strict biosecurity measures. All equipment and footwear should be disinfected after handling horses; all outer clothing should be changed before going to another farm or location where horses are kept.

• Any newly acquired equines should be isolated from other horses for a minimum of seven days. The most common means of transmission of this virus is by direct contact with infected horses. The virus may also be transported via inanimate objects such as contaminated clothing, footwear, water and feed buckets, and grooming tools. The virus can survive for up to several weeks in cold, damp weather, which makes the current risk higher given the wet weather across the Commonwealth over the last week.

 

For more information and regular updates on EHV-1, visit http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine.