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1. Virus kills another horse at farm in Bartlett [IL]
By Erin Hegarty
The Chicago Daily Herald
February 19, 2016
Another horse at Bartlett's Sunset Hill Farm has died and subsequently tested positive for the strain of equine herpes virus that affected eight horses last month, two of which were euthanized.
A co-owner of the farm, Georgette Litchfield, said the horse "just went down" about a week-and-a-half ago. The Illinois Department of Agriculture received notification that the horse, who was euthanized, had tested positive for the virus Tuesday.
A state-issued 21-day quarantine on the farm would have been lifted this week if no additional horses tested positive, but the quarantine now extends into March.
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2. Equine Herpes Virus Confirmed in Texas
Texas Animal Health Commission News Release
February 19, 2016
AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) confirmed Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) in two horses in El Paso County.
Both horses showed signs of respiratory illness, fever and nasal discharge, when evaluated by a local veterinarian. The horses tested positive for EHV-1 but neither horse showed signs of the neurologic form of the disease. The stable has been placed under movement restriction as a precaution, and all horses are being monitored daily.
To date, 74 horses linked to Sunland Park in New Mexico have been confirmed EHV-1 positive. Only two of the 74 horses are stabled near El Paso, Texas.
Direct horse-to-horse contact is a common route of transmission of the virus. Indirect transmission is also possible and occurs when infectious materials (nasal secretions, fluids from abortions, etc.) are carried between infected and non-infected horses by people or inanimate objects such as buckets, tack, trailers etc.
Symptoms of EHV-1 include fever, which is one of the most common clinical signs and often precedes the development of other signs. Respiratory signs include coughing and nasal discharge. Neurologic signs associated with EHV-1 are highly variable, but often the hindquarters are most severely affected. Horses with EHV-1 may appear weak and uncoordinated. Urine dribbling and loss of tail tone may also be seen. Severely affected horses may become unable to rise.
It is important to remember that none of these signs are specific to EHV-1, and diagnostic testing is required to confirm EHV-1 infection. Many horses exposed to EHV-1 never develop clinical signs. If you suspect your horse has been exposed to EHV-1, contact your veterinarian.
In general, exposed horses should be isolated and have their temperatures monitored twice daily for at least 14 days after last known exposure. If an exposed horse develops a fever or other signs consistent with EHV-1, diagnostic testing may be performed. Owners should work with their veterinary practitioner to establish appropriate monitoring and diagnostic plans for any potentially exposed horse(s).
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3. UGA Large Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital reopened
By UGA News Service
Athens Banner-Herald
February 19, 2016
The Large Animal Hospital at the University of Georgia has reopened its emergency services and will resume seeing regular appointments again on Monday.
UGA's Large Animal Hospital has been temporarily closed since Feb. 2 due to a quarantine for equine herpesvirus. On the evening of Jan. 31, a horse was admitted to the large animal intensive care unit at the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital and was humanely euthanized on Feb. 1 due to progressive neurological disease. On the morning of Feb. 2, this horse tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1, or
EHV-1. All of the horses that remained at the hospital as part of its quarantine have tested negative for EHV-1 and are currently being released to their home barns.
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4. Lab evolves with animal health industry [SD]
Janelle Atyeo, Tri-State Neighbor Reporter
Tri-State Neighbor
February 19, 2016
Mornings at South Dakota's Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory are pretty hectic when UPS unloads boxes and boxes of tissue samples, swabs and vials that veterinarians across the United States send in for testing.
The samples are sorted and sent to specific areas of the lab, depending on what the vet needs to know.
Last year, the lab on the South Dakota State University campus in Brookings performed more than half a million tests, helping track viruses, diagnose diseases and test food safety.
The bird flu outbreak last spring had researchers at South Dakota's Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Brookings working at all hours to confirm cases of the disease when flocks of turkeys and laying hens got sick.
Today, transportation of livestock, feed, other commodities and even people can contribute to the spread of animal diseases. It's becoming a pretty short trip for pathogens from various overseas locations, said Dr. Eric Nelson, assistant department head and a virology researcher at the laboratory.
Quickly identifying such potential troublemakers is important to a state such as South Dakota where agriculture is such a big part of the economy, he added.
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5. Scientists Uncover Key Features Of Leptospirosis Bacteria, Which May Lead To Better Diagnosis And New Vaccine Developments
By Ali Venosa
Medical Daily
February 18, 2016
Research on and analysis of bacteria is ceaseless, since understanding the pathogens that infect us is the first step to finding effective ways to stop them. An international team of scientists got us one step closer to new preventative approaches and treatment options with a comprehensive, cross-species genomic comparison of leptospira, a complicated bacteria that can cause death and disease in many types of mammals, including humans.
The lengthy analysis revealed leptospira possesses novel adaptations and traits in infectious strains of the bacteria, which can not only help illuminate its evolutionary history, but also aid researchers in coming up with new ways to deal with leptospira. Involving researchers from institutions including Yale, Cornell, UCLA, and various other countries, the study utilized data from for international labs.
"Leptospira is the most complex genus of bacteria that infects humans," said Dr. Joseph M. Vinetz, a professor of medicine and director of the UC San Diego Center for tropical Medicine and Travelers Health, in a statement. "This work compares the complete genome sequences of all known species of Leptospira to discover which genes make this bacterium a pathogen. It provides a roadmap for future research, including finding new ways to diagnose infection and vaccine development."
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6. COOL repeal rulemaking now under review
Source: National Pork Producers Council
National Hog Farmer
February 19, 2016
The regulatory rulemaking for the removal of country-of-origin labeling requirements for beef and pork muscle cuts, ground beef and ground pork has been logged at the Office of Management and Budget for review.
Congress in December approved a fiscal 2016 catch-all federal spending bill that included repeal of the meat labeling provision of the COOL law, avoiding trade retaliation from Canada and Mexico. OMB must review all regulations before they are implemented. The COOL statute required meat to be labeled with the country where the animal from which it was derived was born, raised and harvested. (It also applies to fish, shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain nuts.)
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7. MERS Study Results Show Promise for Treatment
By UMB Staff
Univ. of Maryland Baltimore News Release
February 19, 2016
In a new study, University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have had promising results with a new treatment for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Published Feb. 17 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the study found a new treatment that protected mice from MERS infection.
The treatment - an antibody that blocks the MERS virus - was produced by cows that had been genetically modified to mimic certain aspects of the human immune system. These cows were given a new MERS vaccine that led to production of anti-MERS antibodies in large quantities. These antibodies were then purified to produce the therapeutic that was tested in the MERS-infected mice.
Last year, a South Korean epidemic of MERS killed more than 30 people. Overall, MERS has killed nearly 600 people since it was first discovered four years ago in Saudi Arabia. The South Korean outbreak, which began when a traveler returned from Saudi Arabia, infected hundreds of people there.
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