Gluck Center > News > Medical Alerts > EHV-1 Outbreak in Florida
Medical AlertsUpdate on Outbreaks of Neuropathogenic Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) Disease in the United States |
January 2007During December cases were reported in Florida among horses preparing for an equestrian event in Wellington and at other facilities in Ocala, Jupiter and Indianstown. Six deaths have been reported and 10 premises were placed under a state quarantine although as of mid January the quarantine had been lifted on the majority of premises. Also in December and January cases were diagnosed at Golden Gate Racetrack and Los Alamitos Racetrack, California. During early January cases were diagnosed on two premises in Connecticut. In each of these outbreaks extensive use has been made of regular temperature taking of in-contact animals to detect new cases and rapid molecular laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis. December 2006State veterinary officials in Florida confirmed in mid-December cases of EHV-1 paralysis including fatalities among equestrian horses on several premises in the state. The outbreak is reported to have originated among horses released from the New York quarantine facility recently imported from Germany at the end of November. A horse has also died in California that was part of the imported consignment. Diagnosis of the outbreak in Florida was confirmed based on samples submitted to laboratories at the University of Kentucky. State authorities in Florida have placed quarantine on a number of premises and are closely monitoring and reporting progress of the outbreak.
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Maxwell H.Gluck Equine Research Center
Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099
Main Office (859) 257-4757
Fax (859) 257-8542