USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services
Comments: On May 22, 2026, the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa, confirmed vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) on an equine premises in Sandoval County, New Mexico. One (1) horse out of 3 horses on the premises had compatible clinical signs and was VSNJV-positive by both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on swabs of the lesions and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) on serology. This is the index case of VSV for New Mexico in 2026. Additionally, since the index case was confirmed, a second equine premises in Sandoval County, New Mexico, has horses exhibiting compatible clinical signs of VSV and has been categorized as presumptive positive without testing. All confirmed cases in the 2025-26 outbreak have been vesicular stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) serotype. Since the start of the outbreak, 18 VSV-affected premises have been identified (17 confirmed positive, 1 presumptive positive) in 3 states, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. All 18 premises have had only equine species clinically affected in six Arizona counties (Cochise, Gila, Maricopa, Pinal, Santa Cruz, and Yavapai Counties), 1 premises in 1 Colorado county (Montezuma County), and 2 premises in 1 New Mexico county (Sandoval County).; For more information, go to https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/cattle/vesicular-stomatitis