Free Webcast on April 29, 2014: Lessons Learned from Recent Equine Herpesvirus-1 Outbreaks

Christine Skelly<skellych@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Learn about the recent EHV-1 outbreaks and how you can protect your horse by attending a FREE webcast on April 29, 2014.

The recent outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) in the Upper Midwest (as of April 14, 2014 there are confirmed cases in Minnesota (7), North Dakota (3), Wisconsin (2) and Iowa (1)) emphasizes the need for Michigan horse owners to be knowledgeable in the symptoms and prevention of this highly infectious and potently fatal disease.       

Michigan State University Extension’s My Horse University and eXtension’s HorseQuest will connect equine owners with a leading expert on equine herpesvirus-1. A free webcast offered in April will give an overview of this virus, introduce new developments, and suggest prevention strategies for this potentially devastating infection to equine.

The live webcast, Lessons Learned from Recent Equine Herpesvirus-1 Outbreaks, featuring Dr. Nicolas Pusterla will be held on Tuesday April 29, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. EDT.  Dr. Pusterla is the Chief of the Large Animal Medicine Services at the William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. His research focuses on selected aspects of equine infectious diseases with an emphasis on epidemiology, clinical disease understanding, diagnostics, prevention, and treatment. To register for this webcast go to: http://myhorseuniversity.com/resources/webcasts/equinevirus.

EHV-1 Quick Facts

  • EHV-1 can cause abortions, respiratory and neurological problems in horses
  • Almost all adult horses have been exposed to EHV-1
  • Vaccines have some efficacy for respiratory and abortion reduction, but no efficacy for neurological disease
  • EHV-1 is NOT contagious to other species or humans
  • Initial clinical signs of EHV-1 infection may include a fever of 102 degree F or greater 
  • Preventing the spread of EHV-1 involves isolation, quarantine and biosecurity measures

Lessons Learned from Recent Equine Herpesvirus-1 Outbreaks is a free webcast funded by the USA Equestrian Trust.  The USA Equestrian Trust invests in the future of the equine industry by awarding annual grants to equine non-profits.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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