STATE VETERINARIAN BEGINS RELEASING FARMS FROM QUARANTINES DUE TO EQUINE HERPES VIRUS-1
Submitted by: VTA
Email Address: vta(at)vabred.org
Date Added: 3/8/2007
Dr. Richard Wilkes, State Veterinarian with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), has begun lifting quarantines due to the Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1). He released a farm in Middleburg on March 6 and one farm each in Leesburg and Casanova March 7.
Although horses on these three farms possibly had come in contact with an EHV-1 infected horse at the Equine Medical Center (EMC) in Leesburg, no horses on the farms ever showed any sign of illness compatible with EHV. After additional testing over the weekend which was negative, Dr. Wilkes lifted the quarantine.
Quarantines remain on seven premises, including the EMC, in four counties. VDACS is awaiting test results on additional farms and the Marine Corps Base at Quantico.
Dr. Wilkes has not cancelled public sales or auctions for this weekend, although he advises a common sense approach and good bio-security practices. Currently there are no travel restrictions on horses in Virginia outside of quarantined premises.
Although State animal health officials are cautiously optimistic that the neurological form of the EHV-1 virus is contained on the currently quarantined farms, it is too soon to be certain at this time. The duration from infection to clinical illness can take up to ten days and once infected, horses may shed the virus and be contagious for 3-4 weeks. A second wave of infections may not be apparent until a few weeks after the first wave. If no new cases of EHV-1 develop and if horse owners practice vigilant bio-security, horse movement may return to normal later this month.
For more information on EHV-1, quarantined premises and bio-security practices, see the VDACS Web site at www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/ehv.shtml.
|
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
RECENT GREEN PAGES!
