From Sarah Bailey, DVM, MPH, CPH(p),
There have been many questions and concerns regarding the case of Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in Bowman County this week. To provide stakeholders with correct and consistent information, please find attached a copy of the letter sent to secondary contacts of potentially exposed horses, a graph depicting the stages of clinical signs and viremia provided by Dr. Angela Pelzel-McCluskey, and a copy of the USDA biosecurity guide for horse owners. Please feel free to disseminate these materials to concerned parties, event participants, and horse owners looking for information on EHV-1 and EHM.
Additionally, I have included a link below to a Biosecurity Toolkit for Equine Events created by the California Department of Food & Agriculture that is an excellent resource for those organizational groups responsible for keeping horses healthy at public exhibitions, competitions, horse shows and sales.
As a reminder, owners and exhibitors who plan to attend events across state borders need to have a current health certificate for participating horses as well as a current Coggin’s test. You and/or your veterinarian should consult the state of destination if there are questions regarding additional requirements for interstate movement.
If you have questions specific to an event, a particular horse or a barn, vaccination recommendations, or general biosecurity questions, we encourage you to contact your local veterinarian or event veterinarian to address these concerns that are dependent on location or situation.
For regulatory concerns, questions regarding permitted movement or other enquiries not addressed here, please contact our office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Bailey
Sarah Bailey, DVM, MPH, CPH(p)
Assistant State Veterinarian
North Dakota Board of Animal Health
600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept #602
Bismarck, ND 58505-0020
701-328-2655