'A Journey to hell": The Truth about the Herpes Virus EHV-1

“This feels like being in hell” is what riders and grooms are saying in Valencia where they find themselves under lockdown due to threat posed by the virus while there are continuing efforts to bring under control the spreading of the Herpes Virus EHV-1.

How can one possibly say that the situation is improving? Contrary to what has been published in a number of statements, the situation in Valencia is still very complicated with 86 horses infected at the moment out of 150 still stabled there and a constant risk of infection and death. It is important to first of all specify that this is not rhinopneumonia, commonly known as Equine Herpes Virus-1 (EHV-1) and Equine Herpes Virus-4 (EHV-4), for which there had always been a vaccine and one that all horses should be given, but is instead a neurological strain that is far more aggressive and for which the rhinopneumonia vaccine is insufficient (as stated in the excerpt from the FEI press release below). In fact even horses that have been regularly vaccinated have contracted this virus. Greater precautions are needed in addition to vaccinations. The FEE has entrusted matters to a well-known epidemiologist at Utrecht University so as to receive specific guidelines concerning procedures to be followed.

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Article by: Susanna Cottica