Since the Sept. 10 update, the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has received confirmation of three new cases of vesicular stomatitis (VS) in horses. One premises is located three miles north of Bastrop in Bastrop County, one is located five miles east of Bastrop in Bastrop County, and the other is located 10 miles northeast of Giddings in Lee County, the first case reported in that county. Seven premises have been released in Bastrop County, and one premises in Travis County has been released.
To date, 61 premises in 13 Texas counties have been confirmed with VS. Currently affected counties include: Bastrop, Falls, Guadalupe, Lee, McLennan and Travis Counties. Of the 61 premises, 47 have been released. Seven counties have been released from quarantine: Jim Wells, Kinney, Nueces, San Patricio, Val Verde, Williamson and Hidalgo Counties.
The newly identified infected premises are currently under quarantine by the TAHC. Affected horses will be monitored by regulatory veterinarians while under quarantine. Premises are eligible for quarantine release 21 days after all lesions have healed.
*Case= A premises; a location*
For VS history and past updates visit http://www.tahc.texas.gov/animal_health/equine/equine.html.
Several states are imposing enhanced entry requirements on Texas livestock due to VS cases. For information, contact the state or country of destination and/or visit http://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/2014StateRestrictionsOnTX_VS.pdf.
For more information about VS, visit the TAHC’s brochure at http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/news/brochures/TAHCBrochure_VS.pdf.
A USDA-APHIS VS fact sheet is available online.
For current USDA-APHIS VS situation reports visit this website.
For additional information contact your local TAHC region office http://www.tahc.texas.gov/agency/TAHC_RegionalOfficeMap_2013.pdf.
