A horse admitted to the University of Pennsylvania’s large animal hospital New Bolton Center in Kennett Square on Tuesday, January 16, 2018, was found to be positive for neurologic EHV-1. When admitted, the horse did not have neurologic signs, but tested positive for equine herpesvirus (EHV-1). The horse then began displaying neurologic signs compatible with equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM). The horse was euthanized.
This horse had a non-traditional presentation for EHM, including a single low-grade fever and several days of normal temperature prior to the development of neurologic signs.
New Bolton Center has canceled all elective equine appointments pending further instructions from the regional state veterinarian.
New Bolton Center will only receive equine or camelid (also susceptible to EHV-1) emergency admissions during this time, and all cows, goats, sheep, or pig patients can be admitted and discharged without restriction.
New Bolton Center is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to contain any possible spread of the infection and to determine the duration of the quarantine.
Owners and referring veterinarians of the horses still at New Bolton are being notified and biosecurity measures have been implemented to protect hospitalized horses.
The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) 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.
