Texas Horse Tests Positive for EHV-1 – Unrelated to NCHA Event

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Press Release

AUSTIN – The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) continues to investigate one confirmed case of the neurologic form of EHV-1 in a Quarter Horse racehorse, stabled in Ector Co., that is not connected to the Ogden, Utah National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) event. The affected horse displayed neurologic symptoms consistent with the disease, and ultimately tested positive for EHV-1.  All horses on the premises are under quarantine and will be managed according to USDA recommendations for confirmed cases. Additional information is being gathered to determine if any other horses were exposed.

Regarding the Ogden, UT event, 11 of the 26 horses in Texas that attended the event remain under movement restriction. The number of cohorts (stablemates), under movement restriction has dropped from 323 to 171. There are now a total of seven premises that have been exposed in the following counties: Randall, Parker, Jack, and Mills counties. No Texas origin horse from the Ogden event has been confirmed to have the neurologic form of EHV-1, so far.

In other situations where horses have either shown signs consistent with EHV-1 or tested positive for EHV-1, movement restrictions have been put in place while additional diagnostic work is conducted by the attending veterinarian.

The TAHC has transitioned from daily updates on EHV-1 to twice weekly updates, unless new cases are confirmed in the future.

For information regarding EHV-1, visit www.tahc.state.tx.us. You can also keep up with EHV-1 information from the Texas Animal Health Commission on Facebook (www.facebook.com/TexasAHC) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/TAHC.)

*Note* To be consistent with reports from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other states, the TAHC is following USDA guidelines for clinical and suspect cases which have very specific criteria to meet the case definition. Currently “suspect” and “confirmed” cases will be the two types of cases that the TAHC reports. The following USDA link outlines the specific definition for what is classified as a “suspect” and/or “confirmed” case:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/ehv/ehv_ehm_recommendations_051611.pdf.