Role of the Equine Practitioner in Infectious Dz

Question 1

Regulatory Diseases

Answer 1

Diseases reportable by law to state or federal animal health authorities

Question 2

Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM)

Answer 2

Equine Herpes 1 or 4 “Rhinopneumonitis”
Resp., reproductive and neuro signs
Transmission: airborne/ resp. (direct contact)

Question 3

EHV-1 vaccine

Answer 3

Prevention of resp. form of the dz only, doesn’t prevent EHM

Question 4

Neurological signs associated with EHM

Answer 4

Ataxia, paresis of hind limbs, recumbency, poor tail and anal tone, coma
Urine retention/ incontinence, bladder atony, penis extension

Question 5

What’s the goal in EHM outbreak response?

Answer 5

Index case is the only case
Accomplish this by isolation of clinical cases, implement enhanced biosecurity and monitoring of exposed horses

Question 6

Evaluating and isolating EHM cases (step 1)

Answer 6

Use PPE as soon as you arrive onsite
Create an isolation stable/ area with barrier and signs

Question 7

Diagnostic samples for EHM

Answer 7

High nasal swabs and whole blood in EDTA for EHV-1 PCRs

Question 8

Tx for EHM

Answer 8

Symptomatic tx for fever and neuro signs
Anti-virals (valacyclovir)
Equine amnion therapy

Question 9

Isolation area objectives

Answer 9

Eliminate contact with other horses
Limit shared airspace and exposure to insects and rodents
Isolation area downwind of general population
Limit human access
Designated equipment
Barriers and equipment
PPE and footbaths

Question 10

Determine who’s exposed and start temp monitoring (EHM)

Answer 10

Pre-emptive: ID exposed horses and start 2x daily temp monitoring
101.5 degrees of above is fever
Fever and CS= goes into isolation and tested

Question 11

Submitting samples and report suspected case

Answer 11

Clean and disinfect equipment and double bag samples
Reschedule pending appointments for the rest of day and full shower and change
Call state vet

Question 12

EHV-1 PCR

Answer 12

Positive on either the nasal swab or the whole blood with compatible neurological signs meets confirmed case definition for EHM

Question 13

Cleaning and disinfecting for EHM

Answer 13

Remove loos organic material, wash with detergent and rinse, dry then apply disinfectant → 10% bleach (1 pt. bleach, 10 pts water)

Question 14

Disinfectants for EHM

Answer 14

Bleach and alcohol inactivated by organic matter (manure and soil)
Use phenolics and accelerated hydrogen perioxide products (virkon)

Question 15

What should happen if strain types are neither wild-type or neuro?

Answer 15

Make sure the lab is screening first with glycoprotein B (gB) gene PCR to catch all

Question 16

T/F: Recent or frequent EHV-1 vaccination is associated with ↑ risk for development of EHM when exposed

Answer 16

TRUE

Question 17

New developments in EHM

Answer 17

New EHM outbreak intervention strategy: equine-origin amnion biologic product to stop shedding in exposed horses (anicell biotech)