News

VSV Remains Confined to Three States

VSV continues to spread in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, but has not appeared in any other states so far this summer.

Colorado, New Mexico and Texas reported new premises infected with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) over the past week, but so far this summer, the disease has been limited to those three states, according to the latest weekly report from the USDA.

VSV is classified as a rhabdovirus, and there are two serotypes of VSV – New Jersey and Indiana. According to a USDA fact sheet, VSV causes blister-like lesions to form in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, hooves, and teats. These blisters swell and break, leaving raw tissue that is so painful that infected animals generally refuse to eat and drink and show signs of lameness. Severe weight loss usually follows, and dairy cows commonly exhibit a severe drop in milk productions.

Affected dairy cattle can appear to be normal but eat only about half of their normal feed intake.

Insect vectors are the primary source of transmission of VSV although mechanical transmission occurs in some species. Fly control is a key component in preventing spread of the virus.

Rarely, VS can affect humans, typically those who are in contact with infected animals. In humans the disease typically causes flu-like symptoms.

According to the latest USDA update, reported cases of VSV over the past week include:

Colorado

One VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed in Adams County, Colorado (New Infected County).
Three VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed and 11 new equine premises have been classified as “suspect” in Boulder County, Colorado (New Infected County).
One VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed in Broomfield County, Colorado (New Infected County).
Three new equine premises have been classified as “suspect” in La Plata County, Colorado.
Five new VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed and five new equine premises have been classified as “suspect” in Larimer County, Colorado.
Five new VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed and 1 new equine premises has been classified as “suspect” in Weld County, Colorado.
One previously VSV-infected premises has been released from quarantine in La Plata County and three in Weld County.

New Mexico

One VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico (New Infected County).
One new VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed and two new equine premises have been classified as “suspect” in Sandoval County, New Mexico.
Four new VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed in Santa Fe County, New Mexico.
Two VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed in Taos County, New Mexico (New Infected County).
Seven new VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed in Valencia County, New Mexico.
One previously VSV-infected premises has been released from quarantine in Sandoval County.

Texas

Three VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed and two equine premises have been classified as “suspect” in Bastrop County, Texas (New Infected County).
One VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed in Hays County, Texas (New Infected County).
Three VSV-infected equine premises have been confirmed in Hood County, Texas (New Infected County).
One VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed in Johnson County, Texas (New Infected County). One VSV-infected equine premises has been confirmed in Shackelford County, Texas (New Infected County).
One VSV–infected equine premises has been confirmed in Wichita County, Texas (New Infected County). One previously VSV-infected equine premises was released in Kerr County.

USDA provides this timeline for VSV outbreaks so far this summer:

June 21, 2019 VSV index case for the U.S. confirmed at NVSL – Kinney County, Texas
June 24, 2019 New affected county confirmed – Tom Green County, Texas
June 26, 2019 Index case for New Mexico confirmed – Sandoval County, New Mexico
July 3, 2019 Index case for Colorado confirmed – Weld County, Colorado
July 5, 2019 New affected counties confirmed – Los Alamos, New Mexico; Larimer County, Colorado
July 8, 2019 New affected counties confirmed – Valencia County, New Mexico; Coleman County, Texas; Kerr County, Texas
July 10, 2019 New affected counties confirmed – La Plata County, Colorado; Santa Fe County, New Mexico
July 11, 2019 New affected counties confirmed – Taylor County, Texas; Val Verde County, Texas
July 12, 2019 New affected counties confirmed – Boulder County, Colorado; Shackelford and Wichita Counties, Texas
July 16, 2019 New affected county confirmed – Broomfield County, Colorado
July 17, 2019 New affected counties confirmed – Adams County, Colorado; Bastrop, Hood, and Johnson Counties, Texas
July 18, 2019 New affected county confirmed – Hays County, Texas