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SBC Horses Affected by Herpes Outbreak
By Melanie Sullivan '09
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Who knew horses could get herpes?

The outbreak began in February, when a horse from Fauquier County tested positive for EHV-1.

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) quarantined the Marion dePont Scott Equine Medical Services Center on February 20 when three other horses were suspected to be infected with the virus.

Ten other areas in Virginia were quarantined on February 21 in Loudon, Fauquier and Culpeper Counties and at the Quantico Marine Base because horses may have come in contact with the infected from the Equine Medical Services Center.

Director of Riding at SBC Shelby B. French wrote in an email, “The annual Virginia Intermont Classic was to be held March 9-11 in Lexington, VA but was cancelled as a result of recent EHV-1 outbreaks among horses.”

Two Sweet Briar riders were set to compete that weekend.

Junior SBC rider Meg Hammock said, “The nature of the disease is just so devastating that when I heard barns in NoVa were being quarantined, I kind of figured the equine community at large would go into a sort of lockdown mode. While I was bummed I couldn't go show, I knew it was the best choice. Because, really, what's more important? A ribbon, or your best friend?”

The University of Georgia’s College of Veterinary Medicine describes the Equine Herpes Virus-1 as a highly infectious viral disease that can survive from 14 to 45 days and can cause miscarriages, respiratory and neurological problems and paralysis.

“The virus spreads through horse mucus and saliva. It can also be spread if the infection contacts clothes or shoes but cannot be spread to humans”, says Arianne Aryanpur, staff writer for the WashingtonPost.com.

Signs that a horse may be infected are stumbling and weak legs, high temperatures and sometimes complete immobility. In the most extreme cases, horses must be euthanized.

While there are vaccinations to prevent EHV-1, they do not cure the horses. Once a horse is infected with EHV-1, the virus remains for life.

Sweet Briar, taking preventative measures, established a quarantine of five days for horses entering the equestrian facilities. These horses were kept in isolation stalls with a small run and had their temperatures regulated daily.

Sweet Briar rider Jessica Abramson ‘08 said, “It hasn’t directly affected Sweet Briar students, some of them just couldn’t go to shows that were cancelled.”

Most quarantines in Virginia were lifted by March 13, when the horses were reintegrated to the larger herd, but people were warned to still remain alert to the possibility of the disease.

“This has affected anybody who deals with horses,” said Yvette O’Reilly, who owns Fox Ridge Farm in Smithfield. “Nobody wants to travel out and nobody wants to travel in. It’s hard getting veterinarians and blacksmiths to come out because the virus is so contagious that anyone who goes from one farm to another could be infecting horses.”

French wrote in an email that Sweet Briar riders continued to take preventative measures when the ANRC team went to ride in Aiken, SC from March 14-18. Only disinfectants known to be protective against EHV-1 were used. Tarps were used to separate horses in stalls so they did not directly contact one another. Horses taken on the SC trip were stalled together for four days back at SBC to monitor their activity.

Virginia State Veterinarian Richard Wilkes canceled all public horse sales and auctions from February 28 until March 5. He also cancelled several equine events including the Casanova Point to Point, Casanova Hunter Pace and the Rappahannock and Blue Ridge point-to-point steeplechase races.

These were large events that suffered an estimated $30,000 loss a day, according to the Washington Post.

The Virginia Horse Show Association recommended that no shows be held until March 11. As of this date, five areas have been released from quarantine and the others still remain under surveillance.

A total of six horses tested positive for EHV-1 and two were put down for unrelated reasons. There have been no new cases since March 2 and the virus is expected to clear up by the end of the month.

Sweet Briar hosted a large horse show this past weekend with about 20 horses coming in from outside areas. “We are still practicing biosecurity measures when feasible but you have to proceed with life and be cautious,” said French.