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Coolmore Secures EHV Vaccines For Ireland

Ten thousand vaccine doses to protect horses against the potentially fatal equine herpes virus (EHV) have been secured for Ireland, with the first portion of the shipment arriving on Thursday. The order of the vaccine follows a recent outbreak of EHV at a high-profile showjumping event in Valencia, Spain.

There is concern that Irish horses competing on the continent could potentially bring the virus into the country. The virus can spread quickly and is hard to cure, but vaccination can provide significant protection.

The shipment of the urgently needed vaccine was organized from U.S. suppliers by Coolmore Stud and the Fethard Equine Hospital with the support of the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, who have moved rapidly to provide the AR 16 license required to import veterinary medicines in exceptional circumstances. There is no risk from virus transmission to humans.

The shipment comprised a combination of the Zoetis Equivac and Pneumabort-k vaccines. The vaccine will be made available at cost to both the Thoroughbred and Sport Horse industries.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue T.D., said, “With this dangerous virus present in Europe we have moved quickly to support efforts to secure the necessary vaccine to protect our equine industry. The Department's veterinary experts are monitoring the situation closely, and we are urging all owners to avail of these vaccines for their horses and furthermore to take extra precautions to minimize the risk of transmission.”

Shane O'Dwyer, chief executive officer of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association, said, “The outbreak of this potentially fatal virus is causing serious concern to Thoroughbred breeders who fear it could spread into Ireland. It is fantastic news that the team at Coolmore and Fethard Equine Hospital have been able to source the vaccine in substantial quantities, and that the Department of Agriculture has moved with commendable swiftness to grant the necessary approvals.

Joe Reynolds, acting chief executive officer of Horse Sport Ireland, said, “Horse Sport Ireland moved quickly to establish protocols to ensure the safe return of horses from overseas to minimize any transmission risk. Having access to a vaccine is a very welcome development and we hope to see widespread use throughout our industry, but we must maintain vigilance and continue to follow all veterinary guidance.”

EHV vaccinations can only be administered by registered veterinarians. The vaccinations will be available for supply to veterinary practices via Veterinary Instruments, which can be contacted by emailing sales@viltd.ie with EHV in the subject line.

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EHV Outbreaks And Equine Insurance

Equine insurance is utilized by many horse owners, whether the horse is kept for competition, breeding, or as a family pet.

With the EHV-1 outbreak across the United States and Europe, many horse owners are considering insuring their horses. But would insurance cover a horse that may have been exposed to a contagious disease? Horse Network recently delved into that question.

Each insurance carrier has its own set of rules regarding insuring a horse during a contagious disease outbreak; some may have a heightened sense of awareness about where the horse is located and what it has been exposed to, while others proceed with business as usual.

Insurance agencies and carriers deal with viral disease outbreaks similarly to how they handle weather events: they cover exactly what they say they will cover for current customers – nothing changes. However, they may limit their risk by not accepting new clients in the storm's path.

Insuring a horse that has been imported from Europe, where the EHV outbreak is intensifying, may not be possible, so contacting an equine insurance company before the import is planned is imperative.

Study: Shared Water Sources Contribute To EHV Transmission

A study has found that equine herpesviruses are able to replicate in freshwater sources in the wild and remain infectious to spread among animals, especially during drought conditions. In the wild, many species of animal will congregate around freshwater sources to drink, potentially allowing for virus transmission between species.

Drs. Anisha Dayaram, Peter Seeber, Alexandre Courtiol, Sanatana Soilemetzidou, Kyriakos Tsangaras, Mathias Franz, Gayle McEwen, Walid Azab, Petra Kaczensky, Jörg Melzheimer, Marion East, Oyunsaikhan Ganbaatar, Christian Walzer, Nikolaus Osterrieder and Alex Greenwood sampled water holes in areas of Africa and Mongolia that had significant dry seasons. They determined that EHV can remain stable and infectious in water under these conditions.

The team reported that animals forced to congregate around water supplies become stressed. Stressed equids can shed viruses like EHV, which enter the water supply when the animal drinks. Rhinos have tested positive for EHV when they share watering holes with zebras in the wild.

The EHVs found in Africa and Mongolia are nearly identical to those found in domestic horses, suggesting EHVs have changed very little over time. The research team suggests that additional research be done to determine other viruses that may use water as a vector to spread among animals.

EHV-1 Positive Horse In Pennsylvania Not Associated To European Outbreak

On March 3, the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) reported that one horse was euthanized after being admitted to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center with neurologic signs of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHV-1).

The horse, who lived in Pennsylvania, had no known affiliation with any international travel or competition, and is not considered to be associated in any way with the EHV-1 outbreak in Europe.

Veterinarians and horse owners in the United States are closely following the EHV-1 outbreak in Europe and remain vigilant in their efforts to prevent its spread to the States. EHV-1 is spread between horses from nasal discharge or aerosol droplets, as well as from touching contaminated surfaces.

There is no vaccine for the neurologic strain of equine herpesvirus; the fatality rate can reach 30 percent in horses that develop neurologic signs. A horse that recovers from the disease may retain neurologic deficits.