Racebook Insider: The World of Horse Betting

Monday, January 05, 2009

Equine Herpes Virus

An outbreak of a common horse virus is causing some concern in the racing community. In late December, veterinarians found a number of horses in Louisiana had contracted equine herpes and several tracks there have now quarantined their barns.

Equine herpes disease is highly contagious among horses and can be contracted through the air or even from people's clothes. It can cause a host of problems for horses, including causing mares to abort, respiratory illness and neuro-muscular failure. In its most deadly and virulent form, the disease can lead to peracute pulmonary vasculitis, a lung disease which can kill an adult horse in 24 hours. It is not dangerous to humans, but can cause neurological problems including inability to stand or walk. If left untreated it can be fatal.

On January 4th, Oaklawn Park became the first horse racing track in the nation to ban the shipment of horses from Louisiana race tracks, an attempt to stem the potential spread of the equine herpes virus. A horse at New Orleans' Fair Grounds racetrack tested positive for the disease on Dec. 24.

Oaklawn's ban was quickly picked up by the Texas Racing Commission, and other tracks are considering similar action.

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