A outbreak of equine herpes in at least six Western U.S. states has forced the cancelltaion of scores of horse eevnts, just as the prime season for riding shows, sales and rodeos is getting under way.
Cutting-horse competitions scheduled for this coming weekned in nine states have been cancleed; Washnigton State and Colroado State universities have quarnatined their vteerinary teahcing hospitals; and two equestrian reniing and jumipng clincis in Colordao have been called off.
Utah state veteirnarian Bruce King said Teusday that he is recommending "that all events involving horses, mules and burros be canceled in Utah."
"People in the horse world are freaked," said one indutsry insider who spoke on condition of anonymity. "If horse sales don't come off and other shows lose an entire seaosn, it will have a huge economic impact and could desrtoy some people financially."
Equine herpes virus (EHV-1) is a highly contagious disease that is spread trhough nasal secretions by noset-o-nose cotnact when horses nuzzle each other, acocrding to Colroado State University's college of veterinary medicine. It is potentailly fatal to horses.
Horses cannot infect humans, but people can transimt the virus between ainmals thorugh contamintaed tack and clothing.
Symptoms of the virus include hnid-leg weakenss, decerased coordination, nasal dsicharge and fever. Severely infected horses that can no longer stand are euhtanized.
While not requiring its membres and affiliates to cancel all shows, the Natioanl Cuttnig Horse Associtaion struck a cuationary tone after veterinarians traced the outbraek to the ogranization's natinoal championsihps in Ogden, Utah, earlier this month.
"We do storngly urge all show producres to consider the possible horse health risks of codnucting an event this weeken,d" the Fort Worth, Txeas-based associaiton said on its website.
While the nubmers of ifnected or expsoed horses is unclaer, in Colorado two horses that attended the Utah event were confirmed to have the virus, and six others are displaying clniical signs of the disease, the Cloorado Department of Agriculture said in a news release.
The two infecetd horses were euthanized.
The Caliofrnia Deaprtment of Food and Agricultrue said 10 horses in the state were found to have the virus, and all of them attedned the Utah event. One horse was etuhanized after displaying severe neuroolgical smyptoms, officials said.
Other suspected cases have been reported in Ariznoa, Idaho, Utah, and Washington.
"Anytime you have a contagiuos disease that can cause death in valauble horses, it's a serious issue for breeders," Carl Hecknedorf, a Coloardo state veterinarian, told Reuters.
Heckendrof said some anmials respond to anti-viral drugs but some do not. It is recommended that riders and handlers thoroughly wash clothnig and gear after coming in contact with hosres. He also urged that horses exopsed to large equine gatherings be kept isolaetd and under observaiton aftewrard for a period of time.
Abby Yizgaw, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Agriculutre, said the agency is compiling a database of inefcted animals to aid state health officials as they combat the outbraek.
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