A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
Date: 19 Sep 2011
Source: The Horse.com Article 18847 [edited]
The University of Tennessee (UT) Veterinary Medical Center is in the
midst of a 7-day quarantine ordered by the Tennessee State
Veterinarian after a horse brought to the hospital with clinical signs
of the disease was euthanized. Test results confirmed the horse was
positive for the neurologic strain of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1).
"On 15 Sep 2011, a down (recumbent) horse was brought to the Equine
Hospital at the UT Veterinary Medical Center at 2:00 p.m.," a
statement from the hospital read. "The horse was kept in a separate
area of the equine hospital. Within hours, the horse's condition
deteriorated, and the animal was euthanized."
"Our laboratory and an outside independent laboratory have both
confirmed that the index horse that was euthanized within hours of
being admitted was positive for the neurotrophic (neurologic) form of
EHV-1," said Sandra Harbison, media relations director for UT College
of Veterinary Medicine. Harbison noted the hospital implemented its
own 14-day quarantine period, effective the morning of 16 Sep 2011,
and the statement indicated the hospital "expects to maintain
voluntary isolation for an additional period of time as clinicians
investigate a neurologic case" of the virus.
"It is important to note there is not currently an active case of
EHV-1 in the hospital, and we are taking every precaution to prevent
the spread of disease," the statement said. Harbison added that no new
cases had been confirmed since the index horse was admitted.
"Appointments at the UT College of Veterinary Message Equine Hospital
have been relocated to an off-site facility," the statement read. "In
some instances, our ambulatory field service can provide medical care
on-site for local owners."
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).
Myeloencephalopathy is characterized by fever, ataxia
(incoordination), weakness or paralysis of the hind limbs, and
incontinence. Should a horse with potential EHV-1 exposure display any
of the aforementioned clinical signs, a veterinarian should be called
to obtain samples and test for the disease.
Individuals with questions on the UT quarantine are asked to call 865
974-8387.
[Byline: Erica Larson]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap alerts
[The University teaching hospital is taking every precaution to insure
this disease does not spread through its hospital. We sincerely hope
they are successful.
Equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) infection in horses can cause respiratory
and neurological disease, abortion in mares, and neonatal foal death.
The neurological form of the disease is known as equine herpes
myeloencephalopathy (EHM) and has the potential to cause high
morbidity and mortality.
EHV-1 is easily spread and typically has an incubation period between
2-10 days. Respiratory shedding of the virus generally occurs for 7-10
days but may persist longer in infected horses. For this reason, the
isolation period recommendation for confirmed positive EHM cases is 21
days. Clinical signs of EHM in horses may include nasal discharge,
incoordination, hindquarter weakness, recumbency, lethargy, urine
dribbling and diminished tail tone. The prognosis for EHM positive
horses depends on the severity of signs and the period of recumbency.
Employing supportive treatment with intravenous fluids,
anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-viral drugs and other supportive
measures may be beneficial, since there is no specific treatment for
EHM. Currently, no EHV-1 equine vaccine has a label claim for
protection against the neurological strain of the virus.
Portions of this comment have been extracted from:
- Mod.TG]
[see also:
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (13): (CA) 20110915.2810
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (12): (MI) 20110911.2761
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (11): (USA) 20110830.2663
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (10): (USA) 20110826.2598
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (09): (USA) 20110625.1944
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (08) 20110618.1859
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (07) 20110609.1750
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (06) 20110604.1705
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (05) 20110528.1639
Equine herpesvirus, equine - North America (04) 20110528.1632
Equine herpesvirus - North America (03): (USA) 20110526.1607
Equine herpesvirus - North America (02): (Canada, USA) 20110524.1573
Equine herpesvirus - North America: (USA, Canada) 20110519.1516
Equine herpesvirus, equine - USA (06): (NJ) 20110419.1220
Equine herpesvirus, equine - USA (05): (NY) quarantine lifted
20110417.1201
Equine herpesvirus, equine - USA (04): (NY) Cornell U 20110407.1083
Equine herpesvirus, equine - USA (03): (NY) Cornell U 20110405.1057
Equine herpesvirus, equine - USA (02): (NY) Cornell U, RFI
20110403.1038
Equine herpesvirus, equine - USA: (NY) Cornell University
20110402.1021]
.................................................sb/tg/msp/dk
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