With horses and people travelling all over the world disease control is becoming a major issue. Some notes from the outbreak in Virginia by Nathaniel A. White director of the facility.

Credit: Washingtonpost.com

Herpesvirus Outbreak Highlights Economic Peril and a Need for Cooperation

Sunday, March 18, 2007; Page B08 The equine herpesvirus type-1 infection that led to the state-imposed quarantine of Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center and several farms in Virginia and Maryland has awakened the equine health-care profession and the horse industry to the reality of an infectious disease outbreak.

We have learned just how essential horses are to the region’s economy, the value of working relationships among industry representatives, university experts and government officials, and the importance of supporting veterinary research into infectious diseases.

Although it does not affect humans, EHV-1, which usually causes a mild respiratory disease, can cause devastating neurological disease in horses. One of four equine herpesvirus variants, this strain is highly contagious and can be spread by aerosol of the nasal secretions, direct contact between horses and indirect transmission by caretakers and equipment. Biosecurity measures can inhibit the spread of the virus by limiting exposure, but in the face of an outbreak, a quarantine to restrict the movement of horses is the most effective method for containing it.

Once news of the EHV-1 outbreak and subsequent quarantines rippled through the equine community, horse commerce in Northern Virginia all but stopped. Mandated and voluntary cancellations of shows, racing events and sales curtailed revenue generated by those events.

Similarly, income from services offered by feed companies, equine dentists, blacksmiths, veterinarians and other professionals was negatively affected. The hit to the overall local economy cannot yet be calculated, but many sectors will feel the pinch.

Beyond the facts about infection, the rumor mill is still circulating misinformation, which likely will persist far beyond the lifting of the last quarantine. Misinformation, which we tried to combat with daily postings on our public Web site, ranged from the rumor that the state borders were closed to the belief that all equine events had been canceled by the state veterinarian.

Why is any of this important for those who don’t own horses?

According to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, there are approximately 170,000 horses in Virginia, making it the fifth-largest equine state in the United States. Virginia’s horse industry generates nearly 20,000 jobs and more than $352 million in wages and salaries. More than 700 horse events in the state generate annual spending in excess of $167 million.

Overall, the industry adds more than $1.2 billion to Virginia’s economy.

Maryland’s equine sector has a similar impact. The neurologic form of equine herpesvirus appears to be increasing in virulence and has the potential to severely affect the health of the region’s horse population — and thus the economy.

The best way to minimize the effects of this and other infectious diseases is to invest in research for vaccine development, treatments and methods of control. The 2006 Equine Industry Research Summit, organized by the American Association of Equine Practitioners, concluded that funding for equine research is inadequate, and a landmark study by the National Academy of Sciences recommended that federal agencies involved in biomedical research establish a method to jointly fund new, competitive, comprehensive and integrated animal health research programs.

This outbreak is a wake-up call for the horse industry. Equine health-care professionals, owners, universities, industry representatives and government officials must work in concert to develop communication systems for disseminating information and to secure increased funding for veterinary research to minimize the effects of future outbreaks on our horses and the larger economy.

– Nathaniel A. White
Leesburg
The writer is director of Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg.