On Jan. 17, the University of Pennsylvania’s large animal hospital New Bolton Center announced it was under a self-imposed equine quarantine for Equine Herpes Myeloencephalitis. All elective equine appointments are canceled pending further instructions from the regional state veterinarian, but New Bolton will still accept emergency cases.

Field service operations are unaffected and the center will continue to receive appointments for non-equine animals, except camelids which are also susceptible to the disease. Reproductive services at the Hofmann Center are fully operational.

On Jan. 16, a horse recently admitted to the hospital for non-neurologic symptoms tested positive for EHV-1 and was ultimately displaying signs compatible with EHM. The horse was euthanized on Jan. 16. The horse had a non-traditional presentation for EHM, including a single low-grade fever and several days of normal temperature prior to the development of neurologic signs. The horse first showed neurological symptoms on Jan. 14.

New Bolton is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to contain any possible spread of the infection and to determine the duration of the quarantine. Owners and referring veterinarians of the horses currently at New Bolton are being notified and biosecurity measures have been implemented to protect hospitalized horses.

According to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the Baltimore County, Maryland, farm of origin is under a 21-day investigation hold and biosecurity measures are in place while Maryland Department of Agriculture inspectors perform additional epidemiological and infectious disease testing.