Horse Euthanized, Property Quarantined After Deadly Virus Found In Burlington Co. Animal

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — A horse in Burlington County was euthanized after developing a highly infectious equine herpes virus, officials said Wednesday.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA) has quarantined the property, which includes two other horses.

One horse developed equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM), a neurologic disease that's often deadly for horses. The 18-year-old gelding developed acute clinical signs on Jan. 7 and was euthanized, the NJDA said.

This was New Jersey's first confirmed EHM case in the calendar year. Officials didn't disclose the property or town where it occurred.

Two remaining horses on the property are under quarantine and being monitored for illness. There have been no recent horse movements from the herd, making the risk of disease spread from this case "very low," the NJDA said in a statement.

"The Department took swift action to prevent the disease from spreading to other horses by enacting a quarantine," said New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Ed Wengryn, "which stops movement of horses in and out of the properties and puts in place preventive measures to contain the virus."

EHM is the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) infection. The EHV-1 virus can cause respiratory problems and spontaneous abortions in pregnant mares, while the neurologic form can result in death, officials said.

EVH-1 spreads quickly from horse to horse. The virus doesn't affect humans or other domestic animals except for llamas and alpacas.

Wengryn encouraged horse owners to work with their veterinarians and the state when their animals show symptoms.

Clinical signs of EVH-1 include the following, according to the Equine Disease Communication Center:

• fever
• nasal discharge
• lethargy/depression
• neonatal death
• late-term abortion
• neurologic disease

New Jersey is home to about 42,500 horses, according to the NJ State Library.

Visit the NJDA Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory website for more information on EHV-1, including clinical signs and preventative measures.