Equine Herpes Virus-1 Neurological Disease Outbreak (Yorkshire)
Thursday, June 1, 2017

There has been a confirmed outbreak of Equine Herpes Virus-1 in a Thoroughbred Trainer’s property in Hambleton, Yorkshire. The affected yard has been placed into isolation, with increased biosecurity measures in place. Under the BHA Rules of Racing, no horse will be permitted to move off this yard until such time that the BHA is satisfied that there is no longer a risk of the spread of infectious disease.

Two further yards which have shared facilities and/or transport with the affected yard have also been placed into isolation for a minimum of 14 days, with increased biosecurity measures in place.

On each yard, the BHA will liaise with the trainers, their veterinary surgeons and the Animal Health Trust, as to the testing protocols which will take place before any restrictions are lifted. With these quarantine, increased biosecurity measures and testing protocols in place, the BHA are currently satisfied that the risk of the spread of infectious disease has not increased above the normal level.

The BHA have asked that trainers be constantly vigilant for signs of infectious disease, and have advised that twice daily temperature checks be carried out on all horses and that any horse with a fever/pyrexia does not travel to a racecourse.

Vets are reminded to be vigilant where any horse, Thoroughbred or not, presents with neurological symptoms.

Further information on Equine Herpes Virus and appropriate biosecurity measures can be found on the EquiBioSafe App, in the National Trainers Federation Code of Practice for Infectious Diseases of Racehorses in Training and in the Horserace Betting Levy Board Codes of Practice



David Sykes, Director of Equine Health and Welfare for the BHA, said:

“Cases of the neurological form of EHV-1 are occasional and, while the disease can be extremely serious for the affected horses, with proper surveillance and disease control the virus can usually be effectively contained.

“While the risk of the virus being transmitted in a controlled raceday environment is relatively small, it is in theory possible that horses from the yard in question may have been infectious some time before the disease was diagnosed. For this reason we have taken measures to alert trainers, as well as racecourses and veterinary surgeons, to be vigilant to the clinical signs.". 

 


This post was last updated on