The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) offers alerts about equine diseases that have been confirmed by reliable sources. The following information is from the EDCC. The following reports are in chronological order from most recent to oldest from previous reports.
Utah EIA
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) Animal Industry Division has confirmed the first EIA-positive horse in Utah in several years. The 14-year old dark bay Quarter Horse gelding located in Wasatch County was originally tested for sale and movement to California, but was not moved due to a positive EIA test. The horse was immediately quarantined and retested for EIA as well as equine piroplasmosis. The EIA test was again positive but the EP test was negative. The owner has decided to euthanize the horse. This horse was imported from Mexico in April of 2016 with NVSL negative test results for EIA, EP, Glanders, Dourine. Ten other cohort horses that are also quarantined on this ranch have been tested for EIA and results are pending. Twelve other cohort horses that had tested negative to EIA in the spring of this year and sent to Arizona recently are in the process of being identified and located. The State Veterinarian of Arizona has been notified by the Utah State Veterinarian and they are working together to get these horses isolated and retested. UDAF recommends regular EIA testing for all horses, including those that do not leave the property, preferably yearly but at least every 3 years.
California LAEC Herpesvirus Update
There are currently five (5) horses in quarantined isolation at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Three (3) of these horses are remaining in isolation as additional negative tests are anticipated. Two (2) of the horses continue to shed virus and will be resampled for diagnostic EHV-1 testing. None of these five (5) horses are febrile or showing neurologic symptoms at this time. Barns D, E and F have not had a confirmed EHV-1 case and these three barns have been released from quarantine as of 0700 on December 11, 2016. Barns A and B have not had a confirmed case in three (3) weeks and four (4) weeks, respectively, and have been released from quarantine as of 0700 on December 13, 2016. All horses in C Barn continue to be quarantined. The LAEC incident has had a total of fifteen (15) EHV-1 confirmed cases, all of those caused by the non-neurotrophic strain EHV-1 virus. Enhanced biosecurity measures continues in C Barn under quarantine and all horses’ temperatures continue to be monitored twice daily. For more info go to: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/animal_health/equine_herpes_virus.html
About EDCC
The Equine Disease Communication Center works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. The communication system is designed to seek and report real time information about disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts the human population about diseases in people.
The goal of the EDCC is to alert the horse industry about disease outbreak information to help mitigate and prevent the spread of disease. Ultimately frequent and accurate information about diseases outbreaks improves horse welfare and helps to prevent negative economic impact that can result from decreased horse use due to a fear of spreading infection. As part of the National Equine Health Plan the EDCC will serve as part of the communication to help educate and promote research about endemic and foreign disease.
Working in cooperation with state animal health officials and the United State Department of Agriculture, the EDCC seeks information about current disease outbreaks from news media, social media, official state reports and veterinary practitioners. Once information is confirmed, it is immediately posted on this website and messages sent to all states and horse organizations by email. Daily updates are posted until each outbreak is contained or deemed no longer a threat.
The EDCC is made possible by generous donations from organizations and horse owners. Please visit our sponsors that have generously supported this program for the benefit of the health and welfare of horses. To learn how you can help go to SUPPORT.
