Source:
State Veterinary Office
Number Confirmed: 2; Number Exposed: 8; Notes: On April 9, 2021 the Colorado Department of Agriculture, State Veterinarian’s Office was notified of a potential Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) case in El Paso county from a private practicing veterinarian. The case had originally presented with a fever of unknown origin on April 4th. After several days with no resolve of clinical symptoms, the clinician submitted a respiratory panel, which came back positive for EHV-1. The index horse was stabled at a farm with 35 horses. After being made aware of the potential for EHV-1 in the index horse, the stable manager began to monitor temperatures on the other horses in the barn. Seven additional febrile horses on the premises were identified from April 7th-9th. A veterinarian submitted samples from a second horse on the premises, which also tested positive for EHV-1. Additionally, one of the febrile horses on the index premises began to show neurological signs on April 11th indicative of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The State Veterinarian’s Office was made aware that a group of horses from the index premises and additional barns in the county had recently traveled together to attend an equine event in Scottsdale, Arizona from 03/14 - 03/29. An additional horse on a second premises that had traveled to and from the show was also found to be febrile. That horse developed neurological signs on April 12th, consistent with EHM. Both premises are under quarantine and are being monitored by the State Veterinarian’s Office and their private practicing veterinarians. A third associated premises that also transported horses to the same event is under a hold order. That premises has had no febrile horses or clinical signs consistent with EHV-1. The Colorado State Veterinarian’s Office has been communicating with the Arizona State Veterinarian where the show was hosted to provide notification to other event attendees. For more information about EHM go to https://equinediseasecc.org/Content/ContentDocs/DiseaseFactsheet-EHM.pdf ;