On Monday, February 26, the Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian received notification confirming the diagnosis of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in a Warmblood mare that had been imported through the USDA’s New York Animal Import Center and consigned to a private quarantine facility in Kentucky to complete CEM quarantine.
The mare arrived at the Kentucky facility on February 18 and first developed acute neurologic signs during the evening of Sunday, February 25. The mare was referred and transported to a local equine hospital the following morning where she was diagnosed with EHV-1 neuropathogenic strain.
This mare had no direct exposure to resident horses while in quarantine and no other horses in the facility are exhibiting clinical signs of EHM.
The population of horses will continue to be monitored and horses identified or considered to have had indirect exposure will be required to test negative prior to being released from quarantine.
Transport cohorts have been identified and notices given to appropriate personnel. USDA officials and transport staff have been notified of the diagnosis.
This information was provided by the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC), which works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America.
