TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Vesicular stomatitis is now present in 10 Kansas counties.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture says the vesicular stomatitis virus has now been confirmed in 10 counties in the state.
KDA says its Animal Health Division continues to respond to the outbreak that started in south-central Kansas in mid-June and has now spread north and east. She says more than 60 stores tested positive for VSV in Butler, Chase, Cowley, Greenwood, Marion, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Sedgwick and Sumner counties.
KDA says it is also awaiting laboratory results from symptomatic animals in other counties as the outbreak continues to spread.
According to the department, all premises with confirmed cases of VSV in horses have been quarantined, and all premises with animals showing clinical signs consistent with VSV have also been quarantined. He says almost 50 locations are currently in quarantine.
KDA says a VSV quarantine lasts for 14 days from the onset of symptoms in the last animal in the facility and does not get up until all of the susceptible animals in the facility have been examined by a veterinarian. She says that more than 70 locals have been released from quarantine.
The department says VSV is a viral disease that primarily affects horses, but it can also affect cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, llamas and alpacas. At this time, the vast majority of confirmed VSV cases in Kansas have been in horses, while some cattle have also been diagnosed.
KDA says it has advised the beef industry to monitor cattle symptoms.
“As this VSV outbreak continues, we ask all horse and other animal owners to watch their animals for VSV symptoms and to contact their vet if they see anything troubling,” said Dr. Justin Smith, Commissioner for Animal Health. “You can help delay the spread of this virus by taking aggressive measures to limit exposure to insects that are the main source of infection and by keeping your horses separate from other horses that may be infected.”
The KDA says that in horses, VSV is characterized by lesions that appear as crusted scabs on the muzzle, lips, ears, coronary bands, or ventral abdomen. Other clinical signs include fever and blistering in the mouth and on the dental pad, tongue, lips, nostrils, ears, hooves and nipples.
According to the department, VSV can be painful for infected animals and expensive for owners. Although rare, humans say, they can also become infected with the disease by handling affected animals and can develop flu-like symptoms.
KDA says the main way the virus spreads is through stinging insects, such as blackflies, sandflies, and mosquitoes. She says owners should institute robust measures to reduce flies and other insects where animals are housed. VSV can also be transmitted from nose-to-nose contact between animals.
According to the KDA, the virus itself generally runs its course in five to seven days, and it can take up to an additional seven days for infected animals to recover from symptoms. There are no approved vaccines for VSV.
KDA says it has developed guidelines to help organizations that host shows and fairs across the state, and has worked with many of them to consider how they can protect the health and safety of animals that attend their events.
The department says VSV has also been confirmed in Arizona, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas and that due to confirmed cases in Kansas, other states and Canada are likely to increase restrictions on livestock imports.
Animal health officials say they strongly recommend livestock owners and veterinarians to call the animal health authority at the destination location for the most current import requirements before traveling.
For more information on VSV, visit the KDA website.
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