Thursday, June 2, 2011 4:00 PM MDT
Update to the Equine Herpes Virus Type 1 Outbreak:
One Additional Utah Horse Tests Positive for EHV-1

Bruce L. King, DVM
State Veterinarian
bking@utah.gov
801-538-7162

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, Office of the State Veterinarian is now recommending that all equine events be held as regularly scheduled. No events to date have been cancelled by this office and we are now recommending that any and all equine events continue, as the threat of spread of EHV-1 virus at these events is now minimal.

A horse that was exposed to horses at one of the quarantine premises has tested positive for EHV-1 after having an elevated temperature. We currently have seven (7) quarantined private locations (Box Elder, Davis, Kane, Salt Lake and Utah (3) counties) with a total of eight (8) confirmed cases and thirteen (13) suspect cases at these locations. To date, two of the Utah cases were humanely euthanized after going down and being unable to return to their feet.

It is recommended that proper biosecurity be practiced at all times, whether or not a particular disease is in circulation. It should be emphasized that disease organisms are routinely present in any population of animals and that following proper biosecurity will provide the best protection for all horses at an event.