IT always alarms me to read news about equine disease outbreaks, having lived through a couple of epidemics here that almost decimated the Philippine Thoroughbred industry.
The disease was equine infectious anemia (EIA), more commonly, and erroneously, known as equine AIDs. The lessons learned from these incidents led to tighter biosecurity protocols at the racetrack, specifically the requirement for first-time horses entering the tracks and racehorses returning from extended spells to pass a Coggins test, which screens for the malady. Obviously, horses who flunk their Cogginses aren’t allowed to enter the tracks, much less stay in their owners’ racing stables.
These epidemics happened years ago, but the loss of hundreds of horses in total is still an awful memory for those who were around that time. Races stopped for a couple of weeks or so, investors saw their money go down the pipes, but most heartbroken were the true animal lovers who could not bear to witness the demise of many fine horses – myself among them.
So I was alarmed when I saw a couple of headlines online, both dated Jan. 13 this year (Friday the 13th, in fact), blaring the news that some horses in the US – less than a hundred – tested positive for a mild strain of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) last week.
The Philippine Racing Commission and the Department of Agriculture are strict on the movement of horses to and from the country, but one will never know how a virus might enter the country through some means unknown and unforeseen.
They are, after all, microscopic, and may piggyback on tack, wipe rags or other grooming equipment, people’s hands and clothing, and feed and water buckets, according to the US Department of Agriculture. Other means of spreading the virus are through direct horse-to-infected horse contact, and airborne if an infected horse is shedding the virus.
The horses that tested positive were located at High Pointe Training Center in Kentucky and Fair Grounds Race Course in Louisiana. All but three were diagnosed with the mild (wild) strain, and the three with the deadlier neurological strain, equine herpesvirus myeloencelopathy (EHM), associated with EHV infections.
Again, the USDA: “EHV-1 can cause four manifestations of disease in horses, including a neurological form, respiratory disease, abortion, and neonatal death.” The last two are most disturbing considering that it’s breeding season.
In truth, the virus is common. So common, the USDA says, that “by two years of age, almost all horses have been infected with EHV-1. The initial exposure generally occurs in foals from contact with their dams. The virus can then become latent, or inactive, in the horse’s body, setting up a carrier state that is life-long. Horses of any age that are carriers of EHV-1 do not show any external signs of disease when the virus is in latent form.
“The virus can be reactivated during times of stress, such as strenuous exercise, long-distance transport, or at weaning.” Racehorses undergo these stressors – the latter once in their life, the first two all the remainder of their lives.
I hope this isn’t another bullet to dodge. Then again, I’m confident that Philracom and the DA will do all they can to prevent animal disease outbreaks of any kind in this country.
There isn’t any harm in taking precautions, though. It’s just that I remember quite vividly the past couple of serious outbreaks, the consequent decline in horse population, and how long it took the racing and breeding community to bounce back.
That’s something we never want to go through again.
★★★★★
Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Facebook: Gogirl Racing and Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @gogirlracing and @jennyortuoste, and Instagram: @jensdecember