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[RC] Fwd: Equine Herpes virus ALERT Ky - John Teeter

FYI

Begin forwarded message:
From: "Mary Lynn/Greg" <Giltmead@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: April 14, 2008 12:47:13 PM MDT
To: "Ridecamp Guest" <guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Fw: Equine Herpes virus ALERT Ky


----- Original Message ----- From: The Kentucky Horse Council To: news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 2:09 PM Subject: Equine Herpes virus ALERT Ky

EQUINE HERPESVIRUS - USA (KENTUCKY)

Date: 9 Apr 2008
Source: The Horse [edited] <http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx? ID=11644>



Murray State University Takes Precautions Against Spread of Equine Herpesvirus
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
One horse at the Murray State University Equine Unit in Murray, KY,
has tested positive for equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy caused
by equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), according to Rusty Ford, equine
programs manager with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, and
information provided by Murray State University.


The Kentucky State Veterinarian's office issued a quarantine at the
Murray State University Equine Unit on Tuesday, 8 Apr 2008, after a
student boarder's horse showed symptoms consistent with neurologic
EHV-1. The horse was immediately transported from the site to an
equine hospital in Lexington, KY. The diagnosis was confirmed by PCR
laboratory testing late Tuesday evening.

A total of 128 horses are under quarantine until testing is complete.
No other horses at this time (9 Apr 2008) were showing clinical signs
consistent with the neurologic form of EHV-1.

Officials with Kentucky Department of Agriculture have ordered
biosecurity measures at the student barn and the university equine barns.


Signs of equine herpesvirus most commonly include fever and an upper
respiratory tract infection. The signs can also include lethargy,
loss of appetite, nasal discharge, and coughing. In the neurologic
cases, horses can suffer a loss of coordination, an inability to
stand, inability to control the bladder, and the illness can be fatal
in horses that become recumbent.

The virus can be spread through the respiratory tract of the horse,
although studies on the virus indicate that it is very short-lived in
the environment and is easily killed by disinfectants. The maximum
extent of the airborne transmission of the virus is believed to be
less than 75 feet. Horses can also contract the disease if they come
in contact with the clothing or hands of a person who has worked with
an infected horse, the tack or equipment worn by an infected horse,
or a shared food or water source with an infected horse.

Ford and Kentucky State Veterinarian Robert Stout, DVM, said
implementation of the quarantine and its associated biosecurity
measures was ordered in an effort to contain and isolate any possible
EHV-1 cases to the affected barn and minimize the spread of the virus
among the horse population at Murray State University.

"Quick response by Murray State University and the implementation of
biosecurity measures should minimize the spread of the virus," said
Ford. Diagnostic testing to more accurately define the situation is
underway at the Breathitt Veterinary Center in Hopkinsville, KY.

The imposed quarantine does not affect scheduled events at the
William "Bill" Cherry Exposition Center. After thorough assessment of
the premises, officials with the Kentucky State Veterinarian's Office
and Breathitt Veterinary Center are confident that with
implementation of biosecurity measures, the Exposition Center is a
safe environment for equine activities to continue as scheduled.

The situation will remain under the surveillance of the state
veterinarian's office. The disease management strategies will be
re-evaluated as test results become available.


[A map of Kentucky may be seen at: <http://go.hrw.com/atlas/norm_map/ kentucky.gif> - CopyEd.EJP]




No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.13/1377 - Release Date: 4/14/2008 9:26 AM






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