On Monday, June 26, 2006, the Office International des Epizooties (OIE.) Reference Laboratory for Equine Viral Arteritis at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture’s Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, confirmed an outbreak of equine arteritis virus (EVA) infection involving fetal losses among mares on a Quarter Horse breeding farm in New Mexico.

This was based on the widespread prevalence of high antibody levels to the virus in both mares and stallions, plus virus isolation from the semen of two stallions. On the same day, the outbreak was reported to the New Mexico Livestock Board in Albuquerque, NM, which is now investigating the potential for spread of the infection to other premises.

The EVA Reference Laboratory is interested in receiving samples from suspected clinical cases of EVA or from animals very recently exposed to semen from either of the virus-shedding stallions. Veterinarians are requested to contact the Gluck Center at (859) 257-4757 before submitting samples.

For more information about this outbreak or about EVA, the following resources are available:

-The New Mexico Livestock Board has information regarding this outbreak on its website, which can be accessed at www.newmexicolivestockboard.com under “critical events.”
-Information about EVA is available on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahps/equine/eva.
-Detailed information about EVA from the USDA, including history, transmission, symptoms, clinical signs, treatment, prevention and control is available at www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/fsheet_faq_notice/fs_ahequineva.html.
-An article entitled “Equine Viral Arteritis: Is the Disease a Cause for Industry Concern?” by Dr. Peter Timoney of the Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, is available in a pdf format at www.ca.uky.edu/gluck/index.htm. This article was written for the spring and summer 2005 issues of Impulsion, the official newsletter of The American Holsteiner Horse Association, Inc., and is reproduced with permission.


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