A property in Hunterdon County, N.J., has been quarantined by the state Department of Agriculture after one horse developed equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) and had to be euthanized.
The horse, an 8-year-old gelding, developed acute clinical signs of the highly infectious disease on May 12. EHM is the often-deadly neurologic form of Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) infection, however, it does not affect humans and other domestic animals, except for llamas and alpacas.
Temperatures of the quarantined horses are being taken twice daily to monitor them. The NJDA is tracing and notifying the appropriate parties regarding recent horse movement.
“The Department took swift action to prevent the disease from spreading to other horses by enacting a quarantine, which stops movement of horses in and out of properties and puts in place preventive measures to contain the virus,” state Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said.
The EHV-1 organism spreads quickly from horse to horse and can cause respiratory problems, especially in young horses, and spontaneous abortion in pregnant mares. The neurologic form of the virus can result in death. The incubation period of EHV-1 is typically 2-10 days.
Clinical signs include respiratory disease, fever, nasal discharge, depression, cough, lack of appetite, and/or enlarged lymph nodes. In horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1, clinical signs typically include mild incoordination, hind end weakness/paralysis, loss of bladder and tail function, and loss of sensation to the skin in the hind end. The virus spreads readily through direct contact with infected materials.
The virus is endemic in the country and while highly infectious, it does not persist in the environment for an extended period and is neutralized by hand soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizers and sunlight.
The NJDA Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory is available to assist veterinarians with the EHV-1 testing. For contact information, go to the lab website: www.jerseyvetlab.nj.gov. Concerned owners should consult with their veterinarian prior to taking any action as the clinical signs of infection with the neurological form of EHV-1 (EHM) are common to many other diseases. EHM is a reportable disease in New Jersey. If an owner has a horse exhibiting neurologic signs or suspects equine herpes, they are directed to call their veterinarian immediately.