Statement Regarding Equine Quarantine at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center

By: Martin Hackett, Hannah Kleckner Date: Jan 17, 2018

The University of Pennsylvania’s large animal hospital, New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, is under a self-imposed equine quarantine for Equine Herpes Myeloencephalitis (EHM). New Bolton Center has canceled all elective, equine appointments pending further instructions from the regional state veterinarian.

New Bolton Center will receive equine or camelid (also susceptible to Equine Herpesvirus or EHV-1) emergency admissions only during this time. All cows, goats, sheep, or pig patients can be admitted and discharged without restriction. Field Service operations are unaffected and the Center will continue to receive appointments for non-equine animals. Reproductive services at the Hofmann Center are fully operational.

On Tuesday, January 16^th, a horse recently admitted to the hospital for non-neurologic symptoms, tested positive for EHV-1, and was ultimately displaying signs compatible with EHM. Of particular relevance to the larger equine community, this horse had a non-traditional presentation for EHM; including a single low grade fever and several days of normal temperature prior to the development of neurologic signs.

New Bolton Center is working with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to contain any possible spread of the infection and to determine the duration of the quarantine. Owners and referring veterinarians of the horses still at New Bolton are being notified and biosecurity measures have been implemented to protect hospitalized horses.

EHM is the neurologic disease caused by EHV-1, and is spread through the equine respiratory tract, predominantly through direct contact. Many horses are latently infected making prevention difficult, but the virus does not persist for long in the environment and is sensitive to common disinfectants. The disease does not affect humans or ruminants, but can negatively impact camelids.

New Bolton Center will provide additional, regular, and timely information as it becomes available at http://www.vet.upenn.edu/new-bolton-update.

For more information, please visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahss/equine/ehv/ehv_ehm_recommendations_051611.pdf

About Penn Vet

Ranked among the top ten veterinary schools worldwide, the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) is a global leader in veterinary education, research, and clinical care. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the first veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.

Penn Vet serves a diverse population of animals at its two campuses, which include extensive diagnostic and research laboratories. Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia provides care for dogs, cats, and other domestic/companion animals, handling more than 34,600 patient visits a year. New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large-animal hospital on nearly 700 acres in rural Kennett Square, PA, cares for horses and livestock/farm animals. The hospital handles more than 6,200 patient visits a year, while our Field Services have gone out on more than 5,500 farm service calls, treating some 18,700 patients at local farms. In addition, New Bolton Center’s campus includes a swine center, working dairy, and poultry unit that provide valuable research for the agriculture industry.