EHV-1 Outbreak-----Update Dec 20, 2006

Here is the current update on the situation in Wellington from the FAEP (Florida Association of Equine Practioners ). The FAEP , Univ of Fla and the State Veterinarians have done an outstanding job.

A conference call was held last night between officials from the State of Florida and veterinarians from south, central and north central Florida.

Wellington has had no new cases of neurological disease since the last update on 12.16.2006. There is one neurological horse in Jupiter farms which became symptomatic on 12.18.2006, and one neurologic horse in Ocala which is confirmed positive.

The confirmed positive cases and neurological cases currently being treated (with lab tests still pending), totals eleven. Of those eleven are included one confirmed positive dead horse and four horses which had only fevers and no neurologic symptoms. Another dead horse which had symptoms consistent with the severe neurologic form of this disease, yet was not tested, is also included in the eleven. One of the eleven horses is a positive neurologic horse from the Ocala area which is doing well as of 12.19.2006. This number also includes one neurologic case in Jupiter farms for which the test results are expected back from the Kentucky Diagnostic lab on 12.21.2006. This number does not include any cases outside the state of Florida.

Special thanks have to go out to all those veterinarians, both from Wellington and the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine for all their help and guidance in the handling of this outbreak. Wellington would also like to thank the official veterinarians from the State of Florida who have been here also working to contain this outbreak.

All horse owners need also to be commended for their patience and compliance with the restrictions and protocols imposed on Wellington. We typically see fevers of unknown origin and also some post vaccination fevers. Most of these are scattered and, for horses that are have no link to EHV-1 confirmed horses are unlikely to be EHV-1 cases. As many of you already know, horses can have increased fevers for many other reasons. The key is link to confirmed cases. If your horse has not had contacted with cases of EHV-1, there is no reason to assume that it is EHV-1. Contact your respective veterinaian accordingly.

There are State quarantines now imposed on the following locations and isolation areas: JN and Company barn, the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex and exercise track, and the isolation areas at Palm Beach Equine Clinic, Reid and Associates and Dr. Haynes Stevens Equine Services facility.

Future updates will follow as new and relevant information becomes available

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks for the update.

KarenV
4:58 AM
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