Equine herpes outbreak in Saskatchewan

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, March 24 (UPI) -- An outbreak of a highly contagious form of equine herpes has numerous horses and stables in quarantine near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, veterinary officials said.

Dr. Katharina Lohmann of the large animal clinic of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine told the Regina Leader Post the equine herpes virus type one, or EHV-1 is much like the herpes simplex in humans, and horses can transmit it to another by sharing a feeding bucket.

It does not infect humans, but can be spread among horses by humans, the report said.

The first incident was noted on March 13, when the operators of a stable noticed some horses running fevers and stumbling. Two horses were taken to the WCVM, where they were quarantined. Eight other horses at the stable were diagnosed as having the virus, and more than half of the 85 other horses were running high temperatures last week, but showing no other signs of the infection, spokeswoman Lynda Jones told the newspaper.

The stable has canceled all transport of horses until the outbreak dies down, she said.

Lohmann said the large animal clinic was also closed until it could be disinfected.

"The big mystery is what's causing this large outbreak," she said.