California EHV-1 Update as of March 3, 2022 and Suspension of USEF Competitions in California for 14 Days
From the US Equestrian Communications Department
Lexington, Ky. - USEF continues to work closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), competition organizers, and participants to manage the EHV-1 situation in CA and provide updates to our membership. The information provided below is based on information available to USEF at the time of distribution.
In an effort to mitigate the risk of further spread of EHV-1, all USEF Licensed competitions in CA are suspended for the next 14 days. In line with the CDFA release today, USEF does not have any hunter/jumper competitions taking place for the next 28 days. We appreciate the collaboration of organizers to cancel events to support this effort.
As the return to competition protocols are implemented, more horses will be tested which will result in more positive test results for horses. EHV-1 lives dormant in many horses. The increase in positives is expected as we test asymptomatic horses for EHV-1. The additional testing will allow the USEF community to mitigate the spread of the virus and safeguard horses. Dr. Nicola Pusterla, Professor Medicine and Epidemiology, UC Davis Veterinary Medicine explained, “We all recognize that horses with clinical EHV-1 disease (fever, nasal discharge and even neurological signs) are high risk when it comes to risk of transmission. What most people forget is that infection does not always translate into disease, meaning that adult horses can shed EHV-1 without displaying any abnormal clinical signs.” The expected increase in confirmed positive EHV-1 cases is not necessarily alarming if the horse is asymptomatic.
As a further measure to protect horses and facilitate tracking, USEF will be providing an EHV-1 Declaration Form to competitions for competitors to complete when they arrive on competition grounds.
USEF will also make available an EHV-1 Test Result Form to be submitted to EHV@usef.org along with evidence of negative test results. These documents will be required under the return to competition protocol in order to get a horse’s ineligibility status lifted. This return to competition protocol applies to any horse that has been on the DIHP or Rancho Murieta Showgrounds, or any horse that has been exposed to a horse confirmed positive for EHV-1 off competition grounds in the past 14 days. This will allow the horse to be released from the EHV-1 Ineligibility List.
FEI Return to Competition Protocols
In order for a horse to return to FEI competition, the following requirements must be met:
• FEI horses MUST have a negative EHV-1 PCR test to return to competition
• Two negative PCR tests within 14 days, one at Day 7 and one at Day 14
OR
• One negative PCR test within 21 days, at Day 21
USEF Return to (National) Competition Protocols
In order for a horse to return to USEF (National) competition, the following requirements must be met:
•Two negative PCR tests within 14 days, one at Day 7 and one at Day 14
OR•One negative PCR test within 21 days, at Day 21
OR•28 days without a test, if the horse has been isolated for a minimum of 28 days
It is critical that everyone follow biosecurity protocols in order for this situation to improve. Please note that the USEF protocols for testing to return to competition may be more extensive than those of the CDFA.
If you have questions on the USEF protocols, please email USEF at EHVhelp@usef.org. For additional information, please refer to the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Equine Disease Communication Center websites.
FAQ: USEF Return to Competition Protocols and California Hunter/Jumper Calendar in March
FAQ: USEF Return to Competition Protocols and California Hunter/Jumper Calendar in March
From the US Equestrian Communications Department
1.What is required for my horse to return to USEF competition if it participated at Thermal or Rancho Murieta?
USEF requires either one of the following to clear your horse for eligibility to compete:•Two samples taken using nasopharyngeal swabs must be analyzed by PCR testing on day 7 and day 14. Day 0 is considered to be the day your horse left the venue at Thermal or Rancho Murieta, whichever occurred later. Both swabs must result in negative test results to EHV-1.
If either of the tests generate a positive result, the horse must remain in isolation and be re-tested. It is necessary to have two negative test results, taken at least seven days apart to fulfil USEF requirements.
OR•The horse must be isolated for 21 days, rectal temperature must be taken and recorded during the isolation period, and samples must be taken after day 21 using a nasopharyngeal swab to test for EHV-1 via PCR analysis. Day 0 is considered to be the day your horse left the venue.
The swab must result in negative PCR test result to EHV-1. If the tests generate a positive result, the horse must remain in isolation for a further seven days and be re-tested.
2.Are these restrictions applicable to horses returning to their home barns?
No, the criterion for testing only applies to those horses entering USEF competitions. However, it is always a good practice to isolate, as much as possible, those horses returning to their resident barn after attending a competition.
3.Do I need to test my horse if I isolate the horse at home for more than 28 days, do I need a test?
No, but you may be required to show a twice daily temperature log for the last 14 days of the isolation period. In light of the fact there are no currently scheduled Hunter/Jumper competitions to be held in the state of California until March 30, the 28-day approach may the best option for many, and would eliminate testing asymptomatic horses.
4.Where do I send evidence of negative test results?
Test results must be submitted via email to EHV@usef.org to obtain clearance to compete.
5.Did USEF cancel all upcoming California competitions?
USEF has not canceled any upcoming CA competitions. Competition Managers voluntarily canceled all CA USEF hunter/jumper competitions that would have occurred before March 30. Currently, hunter/jumper competitions in CA will resume on March 30.
6.Why are only hunter/jumper competitions shut down in California?
At this time, we are not aware of any confirmed positive associated with non-hunter/jumper horses.
7.If the EHV-1 infection rate begins to decrease, will USEF approve new competitions to the CA hunter/jumper calendar for March?
No, USEF will not approve any new competitions to the CA hunter/jumper calendar that would occur before April 1.
8.How will cancellations affect qualifying criteria and selection procedures?
Each Discipline is reviewing the impact on Selection and Qualification and further announcements will follow.
9.Do I have to take my horse to a different location before going to a USEF competition, after isolating at one of the venues that have had confirmed positive(s) for EHV-1; i.e. Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) or Rancho Murieta?
No so long as the horse isolated for 21-days at the venue and obtained a negative PCR test. Day 0 will be the date of the last fever that is associated with a confirmed positive EHV-1case at the venue. New confirmed positive cases will reset Day 0.
10.Why is this affecting vaccinated horses?
Similar to COVID-19 in humans, vaccinations do not provide 100% protection from the virus. EHV-1 vaccines have been shown to decrease nasal shedding of the virus, and, in some cases, to reduce the amount of virus present in the blood. Vaccination for EHV-1 can also lessen the clinical presentation in horses and shorten the duration of disease. The virus is endemic and cannot be eradicated, it can only be controlled. Horses have been exposed to the virus before they are ever vaccinated.
11.Should non-competing horses (training or sale horses) be taken to a horse show?
It is USEF’s recommendation that any horse that is not competing should not be on competition grounds at this time. This makes it easier for the tracking of on-site horses, if necessary, and reduces the number of horses that are potentially exposed or might be carrying the active virus.
12.Do I need to show evidence of my horse’s vaccination status at USEF competitions?
All competitions are encouraged to check vaccination status of all horses coming onto their competition grounds and to verify they are compliant with GR844. You must have evidence of compliance upon request.
13.What is the difference between the reportable disease classifications of “Reportable and Monitored” and “Reportable and Actionable”?
Individual states consider a variety of equine diseases as ‘reportable’ but they do not take action on it. California considers a case of Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) as a “Reportable and Actionable” disease in equids. This means that the CDFA will manage a quarantine. They do not manage quarantines for EHV-1 cases unrelated to EHM.
14.How can I isolate horses at home when I don’t have separate facilities?
Talk to your veterinarian and consult the CDFA recommendations and resources available at EDCC.
15.How can I mitigate the risk of my horse contracting EHV-1?
This is a calculated risk any time a horse is traveling to a high-density population; this is a disease of control, it cannot be eradicated. We encourage you to carefully review with you veterinarian healthcare measures to safeguard you horse, as well as biosecurity resources that can found at the CDFA and EDCC websites.
California EHV-1 Update, February 26, 2022
February 26, 2022
California EHV-1 Update, February 26, 2022
Lexington, Ky. - USEF continues to work closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), competition organizers, and participants to manage the EHV-1 situation in CA and provide updates to our membership. The information provided below is based on information available to USEF at the time of distribution.
USEF learned last night about three (3) new horses confirmed positive for EHV-1 with no neurologic signs. One horse is at DIHP in isolation. The other two horses are off site. One horse had returned to its home premises in Riverside County and is isolated. The other horse left DIHP 14 days ago and confirmed positive for EHV-1 while at a competition in Rancho Murieta. The horse has left the competition and has been isolated and quarantined at its home premises.
We are pleased to report that we also learned that two of the first three horses confirmed positive for EHV-1 at DIHP are doing well clinically and have been cleared to leave isolation.
It is critical that everyone follow biosecurity protocols in order for this situation to improve. Please note that the USEF protocols for testing to returning to competition may be more extensive than those of the CDFA.
If you have questions on the USEF protocols, please email USEF at EHVhelp@usef.org. For additional information, please refer to the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Equine Disease Communication Center websites.
FAQ: California EHV-1 Outbreak
by US Equestrian Communications Department | Feb 25, 2022, 6:09 PM EST
Lexington, Ky - In conjunction with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), USEF has created the following FAQ to provide our members with up to date information regarding the EHV-1 outbreak. The responses below are based on information available to USEF at the time of distribution. The situation in California is fluid. USEF will provide updates as additional information becomes available.
What is Equine Herpes Virus?
Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1) is a virus that is present in the environment and found in most horses all over the world. Horses are typically exposed to the virus at a young age with no serious side effects.Are there different strains of EHV-1?
There are two strains of EHV-1:The wild-type (aka non-neuropathogenic) strain; and
The mutant-type (aka neuropathogenic) strain of EHV-1.
It is important to note that neurologic symptoms have been identified with both strains of the virus.
What is Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM)?
EHM is the neurological disease syndrome caused by the EHV-1. In this syndrome, the EHV-1 virus damages blood vessels in the brain and spinal cord causing the various neurologic clinical signs.How does the disease spread?
EHV-1 is spread by direct horse-to-horse contact. The virus may also be spread indirectly through contact with objects contaminated with the virus, such as clothing, human hands, equipment, tack, trailers, feed, water buckets, and wash rags. The virus can become airborne but only for short distances.How many horses have tested positive for EHV-1 that were on the grounds at DIHP or associated with horses that had been on the grounds of DIHP?
To date, 18 horses have confirmed positive for EHV-1. Some of these horses tested positive after leaving DIHP.How many horses have tested positive for EHM that were on the grounds at DIHP?
To date, three (3) horses from DIHP have confirmed positive for EHM (EHV-1 infection with neurological signs). One of these horses had to be euthanized.Is there a relationship between DIHP and the euthanized horse that competed at LAEC?
At this time, there is no known direct link between the DIHP and the euthanized horse confirmed positive for EHM (EHV-1 infection with neurological signs) that competed at LAEC.Did horses leave DIHP and within 7 days compete at LAEC against LAEC’s protocols?
We have reports that 4 horses left DIHP and within 7 days competed at LAEC against their protocols. Those horses were removed when this became known to management. USEF is investigating these reports.Is there a relationship between DIHP and the euthanized horse in San Juan Capistrano?
The euthanized horse in San Juan Capistrano confirmed positive for EHM (EHV-1 infection with neurological signs) had not been to DIHP, but was exposed to other horses upon their return from DIHP. One of the returned horses confirmed positive for EHV-1.Where can I find up-to-date information this?
Updates on confirmed cases are reported on the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Equine Disease Communication Center websites. Please do not rely on information from social media or word of mouth.
