(Austin, Texas - Thursday, June 23, 2016) - Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) officials released the premises quarantined for Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) in Cooke County on June 22. There are no other reported EHM cases in Texas.

The first case of EHM in Cooke County was confirmed on May 24. Since the original case, six additional horses on the premises tested positive for the neuropathogenic strain of EHV-1. One of the test-positive horses exhibited neurologic signs consistent with EHM, bringing the total number of EHM cases at this facility to two.

TAHC staff worked closely with the facility management and veterinarian to implement testing protocols and biosecurity measures. All test-positive horses (seven) on the premises were removed to an isolation area after being diagnosed. The premises was released after more than 14 days of no new cases, and the previously positive horses tested negative for EHV-1.

TAHC is monitoring a situation at Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico, where a single horse has been diagnosed with EHM. The equine industry is encouraged to obtain the latest information on this outbreak and other disease events across the country by visiting the Equine Disease Communication Center at: http://www.equinediseasecc.org/outbreaks.aspx.

For more information on protecting your horses from EHV-1 and other equine diseases, visit our website http://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/brochures/TAHCBrochure_BiosecurityEquine.pdf.

To learn more about EHM, visit http://www.tahc.texas.gov/news/brochures/TAHCBrochure_EquineHerpesMyeloencephalopathy.pdf.