Equine disease outbreaks reported in Washington and Colorado

Multiple equine disease outbreaks have been reported in the United States. In Washington, one horse in King County has tested positive for strangles, with eight additional horses suspected of infection. The affected private facility has implemented a self-imposed quarantine to contain the Streptococcus equi infection.

In the Western United States, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has identified three new equine premises in Colorado—one in La Plata County and two in Montezuma County—with presumptive positive cases of vesicular stomatitis (VSV). These facilities are currently under quarantine. To date, 45 VSV-affected premises have been identified across Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, with all confirmed cases identified as the vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) serotype.