PrintWaiting for the test results to come back is one of the most frustrating things about the equine herpes virus, and on Feb. 27 two tests returned for horses stabled on farms in Loudoun County and Fauquier County, Va.
One horse, stabled in Hillsboro, Va., in Loudoun County tested positive for the virus. This is the fifth horse from Virginia to test positive, but the first positive result in Virginia outside of the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va.
The Hillsboro horse had been at the medical center for treatment when EHV-1 was detected in a horse at the EMC. The farm has been quarantined since last week, along with nine other premises in Virginia, in an effort to control the spread of the virus from horses that possibly were exposed at the EMC.
There are three horses that have tested positive who are still at the EMC, and they are waiting for test results on two more horses that are showing symptoms of EHV-1 there.
The fifth positive case, originally from Warrenton, Va., was euthanized in Maryland last week. Another horse from the same farm that was showing symptoms tested negative for the virus. Currently, there are still two more test results pending for horses stabled in Rixeyville, Culpeper County, Va., and Casanova, Fauquier County, Va.
"Thanks to rapid diagnosis and notification by the EMC, [the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services] personnel quarantined all the contact premises in Virginia last week," said Richard Wilkes, State Veterinarian in a Feb. 27 press release. "This new confirmation indicates that more horses on this particular farm may have been exposed, but we are hopeful that our quarantine has prevented exposure of other horses in the area. We will continue to monitor this farm, as well as others, until the threat of EHV-1 has passed. Farms will remain under quarantine until investigations and tests are completed and we believe transmission of the virus is no longer a credible risk."
One horse, stabled in Hillsboro, Va., in Loudoun County tested positive for the virus. This is the fifth horse from Virginia to test positive, but the first positive result in Virginia outside of the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va.
The Hillsboro horse had been at the medical center for treatment when EHV-1 was detected in a horse at the EMC. The farm has been quarantined since last week, along with nine other premises in Virginia, in an effort to control the spread of the virus from horses that possibly were exposed at the EMC.
There are three horses that have tested positive who are still at the EMC, and they are waiting for test results on two more horses that are showing symptoms of EHV-1 there.
The fifth positive case, originally from Warrenton, Va., was euthanized in Maryland last week. Another horse from the same farm that was showing symptoms tested negative for the virus. Currently, there are still two more test results pending for horses stabled in Rixeyville, Culpeper County, Va., and Casanova, Fauquier County, Va.
"Thanks to rapid diagnosis and notification by the EMC, [the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services] personnel quarantined all the contact premises in Virginia last week," said Richard Wilkes, State Veterinarian in a Feb. 27 press release. "This new confirmation indicates that more horses on this particular farm may have been exposed, but we are hopeful that our quarantine has prevented exposure of other horses in the area. We will continue to monitor this farm, as well as others, until the threat of EHV-1 has passed. Farms will remain under quarantine until investigations and tests are completed and we believe transmission of the virus is no longer a credible risk."
