NOTICES
Temporary Order Designating Dangerous Transmissible Diseases
[35 Pa.B. 2902] The Department of Agriculture (Department) hereby issues a temporary order designating the neurologic form of Equine Herpes Virus 1 (EHV-1) a ''dangerous transmissible disease.'' This designation is made under authority of 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 2301--2389 (relating to the Domestic Animal Law).
Under 3 Pa.C.S. § 2327(a) (relating to disease surveillance and detection), the Department has authority to monitor the domestic animal population of this Commonwealth to determine the prevalence, incidence and location of transmissible diseases of animals. Under 3 Pa.C.S. § 2321(d) (relating to dangerous transmissible diseases), the Department has authority to declare a disease that has not been specifically identified in that statute as a ''dangerous transmissible disease'' to be a dangerous transmissible disease through issuance of a temporary order making that designation.
EHV-1, also known as Equine Rhinopneumonitis or Equine Abortion Virus, is a highly contagious virus that is ubiquitous in horse populations worldwide. The age, seasonal and geographic distributions vary and are likely determined by immune status and concentration of horses. Infection with EHV-1 most commonly causes respiratory illness, characterized by fever, rhinophar- yngitis and tracheobronchitis. Infection may also cause abortions in pregnant mares, following clinical or subclinical infection and can be fatal to newborn foals. A further, infrequent clinical condition that can occur as a result of EHV-1 infection is the development of neurologic disease. Depending upon the location and extent of the lesions, signs of neurologic disease may vary from mild incoordination and posterior paresis to severe posterior paralysis with recumbency, loss of bladder and tail function, and loss of sensation to the skin in the perineal and inguinal areas, and even the hindlimbs. In exceptional cases, the paralysis may be progressive and culminate in quadriplegia and death.
Transmission of EHV-1 occurs by direct or indirect contact with infective nasal discharges, aborted fetuses, placentas or placental fluids. Transmission can occur by means of coughing or sneezing over a distance of up to 35 feet, as well as by direct contact with infected horses, feed and equipment.
There is currently no known method to reliably prevent the neurologic form of EHV-1 infection. Sound management practices, including isolation, are important to reduce the risk of infection with EHV-1. Maintaining appropriate vaccination protocols may also be prudent in an attempt to reduce the incidence of the respiratory form of EHV-1 infection, which may reduce the incidence of the neurologic form.
Order
The Department hereby designates EHV-1 a ''dangerous transmissible disease'' under 3 Pa.C.S. § 2321(d). This order supplants any previous temporary order making such a designation.
This order shall take effect May 1, 2005, and shall remain in effect until no later than January 1, 2006. The Department may: (1) reissue this temporary order to extend the designation beyond January 1, 2006; (2) allow this temporary order to expire on January 1, 2006; (3) supplant this temporary order with a formal regulation; or (4) modify this temporary order.
Questions regarding this temporary order should be directed to Paul Knepley, DVM, Director, Bureau of Animal Health and Diagnostic Services, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408, (717) 772-2852.
DENNIS C WOLFF,
Secretary
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-942. Filed for public inspection May 13, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]
No part of the information on this site may be reproduced for profit or sold for profit.This material has been drawn directly from the official Pennsylvania Bulletin full text database. Due to the limitations of HTML or differences in display capabilities of different browsers, this version may differ slightly from the official printed version.
