Fair Hill horse isolated with suspected case of EHV-1

A suspected case of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) has been

reported at Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, resulting in the start of

quarantine measures, though veterinarian Dr. Kathy Anderson is optimistic the

incident is isolated and contained.

The horse has been transferred to a separate barn on the

property, where it is the only horse in residence, and the remainder of the

horses from the original barn have been identified and kept isolated from other

horses and barns at the training center. No other horses have shown signs of the

disease. The exposed horses can utilize special training hours with no contact

with the starting gate, personnel or equipment, and with restricted exit/entry

to that barn.

Though it does not affect humans, the disease is highly

contagious among horses and can pass through the air and through objects that

have been in contact with infected horses. Infection results in respiratory

issues, fever and can lead to other more serious issues.

Anderson said Fair Hill has worked closely with the

Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in

testing and prevention measures. Recommendations are for the unexposed horses at

the training center to continue normal training and movement.

Anderson spent much of Thursday discussing protocol and

opinions with the region's racetracks and state veterinarians. Thus far, Fair

Hill-based horses from other barns are allowed to race at some tracks. Penn

National accepted Fair Hill runners Thursday night, but canceled its card a

half-hour before the first race due to a frozen track. Laurel Park did not allow

Fair Hill horses to run Thursday. Fair Hill-based Graham Motion has a horse

entered at Aqueduct Friday and expects to be allowed to run.

"Fair Hill has handled it really well," Motion said.

"Maryland would not let me run (Thursday) but I hope once they realize how

controlled it is they will loosen that restriction and let us run. New York is

allowing us to run after hearing the particulars. The horse is isolated, the

other horses in that barn are isolated. Everything is very separate here."

Anderson and Motion both paid credit to the layout of Fair

Hill in helping minimize the risk. The training center's 17 barns and racetracks

are spread over 300 acres with each barn its own entity with far more space than

on a typical racetrack backstretch.

"It's a unique environment and that helps us," Anderson noted. "The barns are separated naturally and horses are not that close to

each other going to and from the track. We've gone through the channels, done

what we are supposed to do. The disease process is ordinarily five to seven days

and we're nine days out now."

EHV-1 cases at racetracks, including Parx Racing in

December and other tracks in the past, have resulted in similar quarantine

rules, but unexposed horses have been allowed to train and race on the property

with restrictions placed on arrivals and departures. All Fair Hill horses ship

to racetracks to compete, involving various racing jurisdictions in the process

and complicating matters. Outbreaks at racetracks normally cause the track's stable area, and therefore races, to be closed to outside horses.

The horse in question in the current case arrived at Fair

Hill in mid-December. Recently, it exhibited an elevated temperature, colic

symptoms and moderate neurologic signs. Blood and other tests were negative, but

a subsequent nasal swab sample showed a "weak positive" for EHV-1 with no

evidence of the neuropathogenic strain mutation.

Anderson said less than 25 percent of horses testing

positive for the virus do not have that strain. The horse was moved to a

separate barn on New Year's Day and is completely isolated. It will stay isolated for at

least 21 days based on the results of further testing. Anderson said there is no

evidence that additional restrictions are needed. The horse in question, and the

others from that barn, will complete the isolation period, which officially

started January 2, and will be monitored for further signs of illness.

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