Equestrian Center Quarantined After Horses Diagnosed With Herpes Virus

BURBANK (CBSLA.com) — A Burbank equestrian center was reportedly under quarantine Monday after a horse was euthanized and several others tested positive for equine herpesvirus.

Twelve horses at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center have been quarantined since Nov. 3 when two horses at the 75-acre facility showed signs of neurological complications and tested positive virus, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Kent Fowler, the animal health branch chief for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA),says seven cases of equine herpesvirus have since been confirmed at the equestrian center, with the last known infection occurring Nov. 14.

While equine herpesvirus is common in horses, state officials became invovled when a rare neurological form of the disease was discovered at the equestrian center, according to Fowler.

"Normally, this is just a respiratory disease that creates a fever, and often times, because of the fever, the horse will go off feed for a little bit as well," he said. "But on occasion, this virus can affect the spinal cord and brain."

The six horses diagnosed with the disease are showing signs of improvement and no additional horses had been diagnosed as of Thursday, said Fowler.