Urgentโข Alert: Neurological Illness Linked to Equine Herpesvirus Spreading Amongโค U.S.Horses
WACO, TX -โฃ November 21, 2023 – A โconcerning outbreak of equine Herpes myeloencephalitis (EHM), โa possibly fatal neurological disease in horses, is rapidly spreading across the United States following anโข event in Waco,โฃ Texas. Animal health officials are working toโ contain the virus, which is caused by the equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), adn โare urging horse owners and veterinarians to โคremainโข vigilant.
EHV-1 is a highly contagious virusโค common in horse โฃpopulations. โWhileโข most horsesโข are exposed to โEHV-1 during their lifetime, typicallyโ experiencing only mild respiratory illness, the virus can sometimes mutate โor reactivate to affect the brain andโ spinal cord, causing โEHM. This neurological form of the โขdisease inflames bloodโ vessels andโ triggersโ risky blood clotting.
Theโ current outbreak is believed toโข haveโค originated during the Women’s Professionalโ Rodeo Associationโ (WPRA) โWorld Finals and โElite โBarrel Race event held inโค Waco between November 5 and 9.Several horses that attended the event โafterwardโฃ developed EHM, triggering alerts from animal โhealthโข and racing horse โofficials across multiple states. The Barrelโ Futurities of America (BFA) cancelled the remainder of its World Championship event in โOklahoma last week afterโฃ two horses with recent travel history to โฃWaco tested positive โfor โEHM.
The Texas Animal Health Commission reported last week that the outbreakโ isโ exhibiting “acute” progression with “high clinical severity,” โand a โค”concerning โnumber of โmortalities” โคin horses suspected to have EHM. The full extent of the outbreak remains unclear,but officials are drawing comparisons to โa meaningful 2011 outbreak in Ogden,Utah. That event exposed approximately 2,000 horses across 19 states, resulting in at least โค90 confirmed infections and 13 deaths.
While EHM can be fatal, most casesโข are not, especially with early detectionโฃ and supportive care.A vaccine exists for EHV-1, primarily used to prevent the respiratory form of the infection and miscarriage โinโข pregnant mares.Thoughโข itโฃ doesn’t โคdirectly prevent EHM, vaccination can potentially reduce โฃthe viral โคload in infected horses, helping โtoโฃ limitโ the spread.
Currently,โ officialsโฃ are collaborating withโ the WPRA, event attendees, and veterinarians to trackโ the virus and implement control measures. Veterinarians suspecting a case of โEHM are advised to report it to the Equineโค Disease Diagnostic center (EDCC).
