RICHMOND, Va. — On Feb. 27, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services placed the Hazelwild Farm in Fredericksburg under quarantine for Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy. Utilizing separate biosecurity protocols, the farm immediately isolated a barn housing boarding horses from another barn that houses school horses.
Since the quarantine began, four horses in the school barn developed fevers and tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1, but no horses developed neurologic signs. None of the boarding horses tested positive for EHV-1.
On March 20, VDACS released the boarder barn from quarantine. The barn housing school horses will remain under quarantine for 21 days after the last clinical case.
A second unrelated farm in Powhatan was also placed under quarantine for EHM on Feb. 27. The remaining horses showed no further signs of illness and that farm was released from quarantine on March 21.
State Veterinarian Dr. Charles Broaddus reminds all horse owners to be especially mindful of stringent biosecurity as they travel with their horses to shows and events. The Equine Disease Communications Center has information on biosecurity and the importance of prevention at equinediseasecc.org/biosecurity. VDACS has more information on EHV-1 here. Horse owners also may contact VDACS’ Office of Veterinary Services at 804-786-2483.
— Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services