9/28/2023: KY West Nile Update From the Kentucky Office State Veterinarian: 1 equine was confirmed yesterday, Sept 27th, to be affected by West Nile virus. Diagnosis is based on detectable West Nile specific IgM antibody with compatible clinical symptoms. E.S. Rusty Ford 9/27/2023: KY West Nile Update From the Kentucky Office State Veterinarian: 1 Equine Confirmed yesterday, Sept 26th to be affected by West Nile Virus, IN MASON County Kentucky. KDA 006 is a 2YR STDBRED GELD - ALIVE On 9/26 patient is described as continuing to respond to treatment. The information is being posted to EDCC and the KDA’s Web Page is being updated to reflect this 6th Equine West Nile confirmed in KY for CY2023 E.S. Rusty Ford 9/22/2023: KY West Nile Update From the Kentucky Office State Veterinarian: 1 Equine Confirmed on Friday, September 22nd, as Affected With West Nile Virus In GRAVES County: KDA 005 is a 5YR STDBRED FE - ALIVE Vaccination: No WNV Vacc History E.S. Rusty Ford 9/20/2023: KY West Nile Update From the Kentucky Office State Veterinarian: 1 Equine Confirmed Today As Affected With West Nile Virus KDA 004 is a 2YR BELGIAN GELD - ALIVE Onset Date: 09/14/23 Lethargic, Ataxia, Muscle Fasciculation, Down would rise with assistance - 9/20 described as continuing to improve with favorable prognosis Vaccination: No WNV Vacc History Note: This case summary will be posted to the EDCC later this evening and the KY Dept Agr Eq West Nile page is being updated to reflect this 4th confirmed Eq WNv case in Kentucky for calendar year 2023. E.S. Rusty Ford 9/11/2023: KY West Nile Update 1 Equine Confirmed today as affected with West Nile Virus in WARREN County, Kentucky: KDA 003 is a 15 Yr TWH FE - Euthanized Onset Date: 9/5/23 present with PELVIC LIMB ATAXIA AND KNUCKLING Vaccination: No WNV Vacc History This information will be posted on the EDCC website and KY Dept Agriculture’s equine page later today. E.S. Rusty Ford Equine Operations Consultant Office State Veterinarian KY Department Agriculture 502/782-5924 8/25/23: KY West Nile Update 1 Equine Confirmed Today As Affected With West Nile Virus In UNION COUNTY: KDA 002 is an 8YR QUARTER HORSE FE - ALIVE Onset Date: 08/19/23 Presented with moderate ataxia, lethargic (described as ‘In A Stupor’); reported as improving when last examined on 8/22 Vaccination: No WNV Vacc History, The summary has been uploaded to the EDCC and KY Dept Agriculture's Web Page has been updated to reflect this 2nd 2023 equine case confirmed in Kentucky. The updated summary and map is in a PDF document and you may need to refresh the page to get the most recent version. E.S. Rusty Ford Equine Operations Consultant Office State Veterinarian KY Department Agriculture 502/782-5924 8/23/2023: KY's First Equine West Nile Case From the Kentucky Office State Veterinarian: 1 Equine Confirmed August 22, 2023 As Affected With West Nile. Diagnosis based on compatible clinical symptom with West Nile Virus, specific IgM antibody detected Case Information: In WARREN County, a ~25 yr Quarter Horse, female, was euthanized. Onset Date: On 08/13 Mare was down, would rise with assistance – began demonstrating rear limb ataxia - Continued Eating/Drinking with Normal Mental State On 8/15 She was down unable to rise. On 8/17 the mare was euthanized Vaccination: WNV Vaccine History Unknown, but is unlikely Also Note: Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (ELISA) was also positive and may likely have contributed to her neurologic condition This information will be posted to the EDCC and the KY Department of Agriculture Equine Web Page is being updated as well. www.kyagr.com/statevet/west-nile-info.html
6/21/2023: Potomac Horse Fever The Office of the State Veterinarian has released the following: Diagnostic results received over the weekend confirmed Kentucky’s first Potomac Horse Fever diagnosis. With this being the first case of the year confirmed in KY; and after consulting the attending veterinarian, the case has been posted to the EDCC for Information/Awareness. Case information: Aged (20+) year old pensioned gelding – residing in Scott county is reported as responding to treatment and recovering. Click here for the American Association of Equine Practitioners informational horse health page about Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) 6/7/2023: Vesicular Stomatitis The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) has reported that California is currently experiencing an outbreak of Vesicular Stomatitis. VS is a seasonal, viral disease spread by midges and capable of infecting horses, donkeys, mules, cattle, swine, and llamas. It derives its name from the characteristic vesicular lesions it causes in the form of blisters, crusts and ulceration of the lips, muzzle, nose, tongue, ears, sheath, teats, and/or coronary band. The Office of the State Veterinarian has released the following update: Notification was received late last week that horses residing on a premises in San Diego County, California have been diagnosed with Vesicular Stomatitis (VS). In addition to San Diego County, horses residing in Riverside County California have also been confirmed to be affected with Vesicular Stomatitis. With the notification received, Kentucky’s Administrative Regulations now prohibits entry of all livestock, wild and exotic animals into Kentucky originating from any California premises currently under quarantine as a result of confirmed or suspected cases of vesicular stomatitis. Additionally, any such animal that has been on premises currently quarantined for VS during the 30 days prior to entry is prohibited entry into Kentucky. The most recent situation report is posted on the USDA APHIS website and is accessible at the following link: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/equine/vsv/vesicular-stomatitis Based on the epidemiologic information made available to us, we have concluded no further restrictions (beyond those implemented by California) are needed at this time. Individuals who have equine currently in export quarantine, or are planning exportations should immediately contact the USDA supervising personnel to determine if any additional testing or certifications are being required by the Country the animals are being prepared to ship to. We will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates as new information is learned. Note these restrictions are subject to change without advance notice. I am preparing information to be posted on our web page at www.kyagr.com and will include a direct link once it is available. The EDCC has created a fact sheet on their website outlining clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Click here for the fact sheet.5/23/2023 KY Strangles Confirmed Case Leads to Official Quarantine The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has confirmed 1 positive case of strangles at a boarding facility in Scott County. Onset of clinic signs (fever with nasal discharge) began 5/16/2023 and was confirmed Streptococcus equi subsp equi on 5/19/2023. A total of 10 horses have been exposed, and the facility is on an official quarantine. 5/8/2023 KY Strangles Epidemiologic Investigation Update The Office of the State Veterinarian has released the following update on the Kentucky strangles epidemiologic investigation: On Thursday evening, May 4th each of the horses in the affected barn at The Thoroughbred Center (TTC) were subjected to their guttural pouches being examined by endoscopy and flushed. One additional horse, under care of the single trainer having previous positives, was found to have some guttural pouch inflammation and PCR testing guttural pouch flush did detect S.equi DNA. This horse was moved from TTC to the Private Quarantine on Friday evening. On Sunday, May 7th, each of the horses under the care of the single trainer remaining at TTC were moved from the facility to the private quarantine. This group of horses are now segregated into three different groups defined by identified risk (green, yellow, red). Each of the horses under the care of the second trainer in the barn were also examined by endoscopy with no abnormalities seen in any of these horses. Flushing of the guttural pouches from each of the horses was reported negative by PCR. Each horse in this stable now has four (4) nasal pharyngeal washes reported to be Negative, had their guttural pouches examined and flushed this past Thursday with no abnormal findings and each sample found to be negative by PCR. Based on the 3 weeks of close monitoring and extensive testing of these potentially indirectly exposed horses, we are tonight confident in releasing the quarantine effective this evening, May 8, 2023. We will continue to monitor the health of these horses and require temperatures be taken twice daily (morning and afternoon), with the daily reports being submitted to myself as well as Keeneland’s Vice President of Equine Safety, Dr. Stuart Brown. With this release, all horses and horsemen stabled at The Thoroughbred Center can return to their normal training and racing activity beginning Tuesday morning, May 9, 2023. Note the only horses remaining under quarantine associated with this epidemiologic investigation are those of the single trainer which are now all stabled and remain under quarantine at a private facility. These groups of horses, when qualified, will be released from quarantine as each group satisfies the established monitoring and testing protocols with negative results. 5/2/2023 KY Strangles Epidemiologic Investigation Update The Office of the State Veterinarian has released the following update on the Kentucky strangles epidemiologic investigation: Premises 1 The Thoroughbred Center: The population of horses remaining in the affected barn at The Thoroughbred Center were sampled Friday morning, April 28th. A three (3) year old filly under the care of the single trainer with previous positive horses was found to have a low level of DNA detected and was moved to the private quarantine offsite. His remaining five (5) horses were all reported to be negative. The ten (10) horses under the care of the second trainer were also sampled on April 28th with each of these horses found to be negative. The group of negative horses remaining in the affected barn at The Thoroughbred Center will be sampled again later this week. Premises 3 The quarantine placed on a barn at Triple Diamonds Training Center has be released: The population of horses, all under the care of one trainer, that previously tested negative were sampled again on April 25th. NOTE: The trainer previously had nineteen horses stabled in this barn. Two horses that had been moved from this barn have been returned after testing negative. This group of twenty-one (21) horses all were found to be negative a second time. A third set of samples were collected yesterday, Monday, May 1st. Finalized results of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests have been released, with each animal reported to be negative. With the population of horses housed in this barn having tested negative on three separate occasions over the last two weeks, and with daily monitoring showing no suspected illness, we can confidently release the previously imposed quarantined barn on Triple Diamonds Training Center this evening and allow the trainer with horses remaining in this barn to resume his normal daily operations effective immediately. Horses residing in Barn one (1) are no longer under regulatory restriction and may resume their normal training activity tomorrow morning at Triple Diamonds. We will continue to closely monitor the health of these horses, requiring daily reports be made to Rusty Ford, Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Equine Operations Consultant with the Office State Veterinarian. Additionally, a two (2) year old filly that had moved from the affected barn to the private quarantine with the single trainer’s other horses on April 20th was found to have an enlarged mandibular lymph node the morning of April 28th. At the time the filly was moved from premises 3 to the private quarantine, she was sampled and reported negative. The abscess was lanced late evening on April 28th with the specimen submitted for bacterial analysis. The bacterial culture did identify streptococcus equi to be present. Again, testing at the time of moving to quarantine from the barn on premises 3 provides evidence the filly was not shedding the disease-causing bacteria when relocated. We appreciate the cooperation of the horsemen and management at Three Diamonds and are pleased to announce there are no quarantines in place at Three Diamonds Training Center. Racing in Kentucky: Based on the epidemiologic work and our findings to date, we have made minimal adjustments to our health requirements for horses to enter Kentucky racetracks. Horses shipping to Kentucky tracks from areas not impacted continue to qualify their entry by meeting the established health requirements that includes a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) stating the examination and issuance of the certificate was done during the 72hrs preceding the horse’s entry. Quarantined Premises: Horses moving from non-affected barns on a facility that has barns under order of quarantine issued by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture continue to be accompanied by a CVI demonstrating the examination and issuance of the certificate was completed during the same day as arrival. Veterinarians or horsemen should contact the track’s stabling office or veterinarian for instruction on how to accommodate the same day CVI on horses departing during the early morning or late evening hours. In addition to Kentucky tracks, I have been made aware that other regional tracks have similar same day or 24hr CVI requirement. Veterinarians and/or trainers are responsible for ensuring their horses meet the track’s defined health requirements. 4/25/2023 Kentucky Strangles Epidemiologic Investigation Update The Office of the State Veterinarian has released the following update on the Kentucky strangles epidemiologic investigation: "Premises 2: The fifteen (15) horses under the care of the two (2) individual trainers remaining in the barn at Keeneland were all sampled yesterday, April 24th. Results of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests have been released, with each animal found and reported to be negative. Based on the following facts: -The population of horses stabled in this barn have all now tested negative on two separate occasions. -Through investigation we identified no direct exposure to the horses under the care of the single trainer with positive horses on any of the three premises. -Our earlier testing provided evidence that the disease-causing organism was not circulating in the Keeneland barn at time the horses under the care of the single trainer were moved offsite. -The group of remaining horses have been under close health monitoring and scrutiny the past 8 days with no fevers or other signs of illness detected. -Each individual horse was evaluated earlier today with no abnormal findings. The information and findings described above does provide us the evidence needed to confidently release the previously imposed quarantine barn at Keeneland this evening and allow the trainers in Barn seven (7) to resume their normal daily operations effective immediately. Horses residing in Barn seven (7) are no longer under regulatory restriction and will resume their normal training activity tomorrow morning at Keeneland. We will continue to closely monitor the health of these horses daily, requiring daily reports be made to Keeneland’s Vice President of Equine Safety, Dr. Stuart Brown, and Rusty Ford, Equine Operations Consultant with the Department of Agriculture’s Office State Veterinarian. Additional Information: Premises One (1): The population of horses residing in the affected barn at The Thoroughbred Center were all sampled yesterday with negative results returned. Following our protocol established for handling horses under the care of a single trainer, and identified as having potential direct exposure, these horses will be resampled a third time, with the test including examination and flushing of the guttural pouches. The horses under the care of the second trainer in this same barn will also be sampled a third time. Premises Three (3): The population of horses residing in the affected barn at Triple Diamonds Training Center (aka Three Diamonds) were collected earlier today, with results pending. Private Quarantine: All horses moved from the single trainer’s affected barns on Premises one (1), two (2) and three (3), do remain under quarantine on a private facility. Prior to releasing these horses, each horse will be sampled on three separate occasions with all horses in the group reported negative. Testing of the horses under the care of the single trainer will include endoscopic examination and flushing of the guttural pouches. 4/22/2023 Kentucky Strangles Epidemiologic Investigation Update The Kentucky Department of Agriculture has released the below update on the ongoing strangles outbreak: "Premises 3: Results of the testing completed on the twenty-seven (27) horses at Triple Diamonds Training Center (aka Three Diamonds on Russell Cave Road) did identify two (2) additional positive horses. These horses were under the care of the same trainer having positives on premises one (1) and two (2). The two (2) positive horses and the trainers other six (6) horses were all moved offsite to the private quarantine facility. Nineteen (19) horses under the care of a second trainer were all found negative. Horses in this affected barn will remain under quarantine, are being monitored daily for any signs of illness and will be resampled. Additionally, two horses for the single trainer that had originally tested negative by PCR the day they were moved offsite from Premises 2 (Keeneland), have subsequently been confirmed positive by culture on specimens collected from enlarged mandibular lymph nodes. The fact both of these horses were PCR negative on nasal pharyngeal washes collected at the time of departure from Keeneland, provides additional evidence and confidence the disease-causing organism, streptococcus equi, was not being shed at that time. Assessment of the exposed horses remaining on the three identified premises this morning found all horses to be bright, alert, eating and afebrile. We are continuing to review the health status of these horses daily and will be collecting additional diagnostic tests during the upcoming week. IN SUMMARY: Our investigation to date has confirmed evidence of streptococcus equi in seven (7) individual horses for a single trainer on three (3) separate facilities. As previously described, we have and continue to test multiple horses under the care of several trainers at each of the three (3) premises and have found no evidence of the disease-causing organism beyond those horses under the care of the single trainer." 1/25/2023 Movement Protocol from Gulfstream Park to Kentucky Tracks One case of a neurologic horse at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, FL has been confirmed positive for EHV1. The horse became recumbent and was euthanized. 174 horses remain housed in the affected barn and are under an official quarantine. Florida state veterinary officials have been conducting the epidemiologic investigation as well as managing and monitoring the quarantine. The Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian has received notification that a review of the records of horses moving out of the affected barn during the 2 weeks preceding the diagnosis did not identify any horse moving to Kentucky. At this point-in-time there has been no testing of the 174 exposed horses and lacking additional symptomatic horses being reported, there is currently no plan to test the group of exposed horses. Florida officials have advised that any horse reported to have a fever of 101.5 or greater will be tested from both nasal swab and blood. The horses in the quarantined barn may qualify for release following 21 days of no additional cases being reported or diagnosed. Though these 174 horses are under quarantine and have not since January 21st had direct contact with other horses on the grounds at Gulfstream, the lack of testing these exposed horses has raised the concern of the Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian. Current guidelines directed by the Office State Veterinarian that have been adopted/implemented by our tracks require all horses entering a Kentucky race track or sanctioned training facility meet the additional requirements of having a 72hr CVI and meeting our EHV1 vaccination requirement of having been vaccinated a minimum of 14 days and no more than 120 days prior to entering the stable area. Note the 14 day minimum applies only to horses that have not been vaccinated during the preceding 120 days. The Office of the State Veterinarian in conversation with the thoroughbred track equine medical directors, and after consulting racing secretaries, stable managers and others, has determined that with slight modification to our existing EHV protocol, movement of the non-quarantined horses currently stabled, or horses that had been on the grounds of Gulfstream Park since January 20th, can continue to be conditionally allowed entry onto a KY track/training facility and be stabled on the grounds. Gulfstream to Kentucky Tracks: Horses moving from Gulfstream (or having recently been on the grounds) can be allowed entry if the horse meets the published requirements for entry in addition to the modification listed below:
The movement protocol applies only to equine moving to Kentucky tracks and/or sanctioned training facilities. Again, these requirements are being adjusted in consultation with the track’s equine medical directors and are subject to change without any advanced notice being provided should the disease event at Gulfstream Park change. |