EVA Outbreak Reported in New Mexico

On June 26 the Office International des Epizooties (O.I.E.) Reference Laboratory for Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture's Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center, confirmed an outbreak of equine arteritis virus 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, N.M., 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....

Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) The New Mexico Livestock Board is investigating an outbreak of EVA in the State of New Mexico that was reported on June 28, 2006. One Equine Breeding Farm has been placed under quarantine, other exposed farms are voluntarily limiting movement off their farms. Action has been taken to limit the spread of the disease. The New Mexico State Veterinarian, Dr. Steven England is working with the Gluck Equine Center in Kentucky and the equine industry in order to formulate plans to minimize the impact of this disease on producers in the State of New Mexico. Meetings and consultations are taking place with the New Mexico Racing Commission, State 4-H leaders, farm owners, sale barns and Equine Veterinarians. Daniel M. Manzanares, Executive Director of the New Mexico Livestock Board, Cliff Mascarenas Deputy Director and the Livestock Inspectors through out the state are ensuring that movement of horses both in state and out of state follow established procedures to minimize spread of this disease. Affected farms are working closely with the New Mexico Livestock Board to limit the spread of this disease....

Livestock Board quarantines Socorro County farm

The state Livestock Board has quarantined a Socorro County horse breeding farm after an outbreak of an equine virus. A state veterinarian, Dr. Dave Fly, says that action and voluntary quarantines by other farms appear to have contained the outbreak. He says there have been no reported cases of equine viral arteritis, or EVA, beyond the first exposed farms. EVA is an acute, contagious viral disease that affects horses. It can’t be spread to other domestic animals or humans. EVA is primarily an infection of the equine respiratory tract and causes abortions in pregnant mares. Fly says a number of mares have lost foals in the outbreak, while other horses have respiratory disease. No horses have died.