Disease Alerts

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Facility Type: Private Facility; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 16; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Miniature Horse; Onset of Clinical Signs: 1/12/2026; Confirmation Date: 1/15/2026; Horse Status: Quarantined; Vaccination Status: Status Unknown;

Number Confirmed: 2; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 15; Gender: Gelding; Onset of Clinical Signs: 12/30/2025; Clinical Signs: Fever, Cough; Confirmation Date: 1/5/2026; Horse Status: Recovering; Vaccination Status: Unvaccinated;

Comments: Farm had an outbreak of Strangles in early October of 2025, which was reported under Alert 4648 and included one confirmed case and 3 other suspected cases. Had a voluntary quarantine placed and released by the primary care veterinarian. Then, in late December, horses began to exhibit strangles signs. This horse and the horse reported under alert 4828 were subsequently confirmed positive for strangles.; 
Previous Alerts: 4828

Number Confirmed: 3; 
Number Exposed: 11; 
Number Euthanized: 3; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 5; Gender: Mare; Breed: Quarter Horse (QH); Usage: Racing; Onset of Clinical Signs: 12/16/2025; Clinical Signs: tested dur to exposure of another positive horse on the premises.; Confirmation Date: 12/23/2025; Horse Status: Euthanized; 

Horse 2: 
Age: 4; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Quarter Horse (QH); Usage: Racing; Horse Status: Euthanized; 

Horse 3: 
Age: 4; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Quarter Horse (QH); Usage: Racing; Onset of Clinical Signs: 12/16/2025; Clinical Signs: tested due to exposure to positive EIA horse.; Confirmation Date: 12/23/2025; Horse Status: Affected And Alive; 

Previous Alerts: 4816

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 8; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Facility Type: Private Facility; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 13; Gender: Mare; Breed: Pony; Usage: Pleasure Riding; Clinical Signs: Neurological signs; Confirmation Date: 1/8/2026; Horse Status: Euthanized; Vaccination Status: Unvaccinated;

Comments: The two Geauga county cases are unrelated and not epidemiologically linked.;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 28; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Facility Type: Boarding Facility; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 15; Gender: Mare; Breed: Standardbred; Usage: Breeding; Clinical Signs: Acutely down, neurologic; Confirmation Date: 1/9/2026; Horse Status: Euthanized; Vaccination Status: Status Unknown;

Comments: The two Geauga county cases are unrelated and not epidemiologically linked.;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: Unknown; 
Number Exposed: 10; 
Facility Type: Private Facility; 
Comments: Strangles was confirmed by PCR.;

Comments: The quarantine for EHM is released.; 
Previous Alerts: 4809

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Exposed: 7; 
Number Euthanized: 1; 
Facility Type: Farm; 

Horse 1: 
Age: 10; Gender: Mare; Breed: Westphalian; Clinical Signs: Horse was found acutely down 12/26/25. Rabies, EEE and West Nile testing were negative. Histopathology showed a mild, non-suppurative and perivascular encephalitis; Confirmation Date: 1/8/2026; Horse Status: Deceased; Vaccination Status: Status Unknown;

Number Confirmed: 1; 
Number Suspected: 2; 
Number Exposed: 24; 
Facility Type: Farm; 
Comments: EHM detection confirmed by laboratory testing in Bucks County, PA. The premise is currently under quarantine. There is no epidemiologic connection to this EHM detection (case) to any other detections.;

Comments: Since the last situation report (1/5/2026), there has been one (1) new confirmed VSV positive equine premises identified in Arizona (Pinal County – new affected county). All confirmed cases in the 2025-26 outbreak have been vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) serotype. Updates are as follows: Arizona • Pinal County (New Affected County) – 1 new equine premises confirmed VSV-positive • No additional quarantine releases since the last situation report (1/5/26). Classification of Cases Premises that have diagnostic laboratory confirmation of VSV are categorized as confirmed positive premises. Once a county is confirmed as VSV-positive, new equine premises presenting with clinical signs of VSV in that county are not required to be tested for confirmation of the disease, but the premises will be quarantined and classified as a presumptive positive premises. Premises may also be classified as presumptive positive if clinical animals on the premises fail to meet confirmed case definition, but there is diagnostic laboratory evidence of recent VSV infection. Confirmed and presumptive positive premises are quarantined for at least 14 days from the onset of lesions in the last affected animal on the premises.;

For more information, go to https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/vsv-sitrep-1-9-26.pdf