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  Discussion on Research Summary: EHM risk factors among horses
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DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013 - 7:52 am:

Could it be that zinc supplementation will lower your horse's risk of Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM)? Could recent EHV-1 vaccination increase the risk of developing EHM? Before we know for sure we need to test these observations but if it were me I would be sure my horse is getting his recommended dosage of loose mineral salts added to the food when traveling. For more on this see the article on Minerals in the Nutrition section.
DrO

J Vet Intern Med. 2013 Feb 7.
Case-Control Study of a Multistate Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy Outbreak.
Traub-Dargatz JL, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Creekmore LH, Geiser-Novotny S, Kasari TR, Wiedenheft AM, Bush EJ, Bjork KE.

Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Animal Population Health Institute (APHI), Fort Collins, CO; USDA-APHIS-VS Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO.
Abstract

BACKGROUND:
A large multistate outbreak of equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) occurred in May 2011 among horses that participated in a competitive event.

OBJECTIVE:
To identify EHM risk factors among horses with a common exposure venue.

ANIMALS:
A total of 123 horses: 19 horses with EHM, 14 equine herpesvirus-1 cases with no reported neurologic signs, and 90 control horses.

METHODS:
EHM case survey data were compared with data from EHV-1 cases with no neurologic signs and healthy controls using univariable and multivariable methods.

RESULTS:
Significant factors associated with higher risk for EHM compared with EHV-1 cases with no neurologic signs were (1) greater number of biosecurity risks at the event, (2) female sex, (3) increasing number of classes competed in at the event, and (4) an interaction between sex and number of classes competed in. In the EHM versus controls comparison, in addition to sex and biosecurity risks, factors associated with higher EHM risk included EHV-1 vaccination in the 5 weeks before the event and increasing number of events attended in April 2011; zinc dietary supplementation was associated with decreased risk. An interaction between sex and the number of events attended in April 2011 also was significant.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:
Findings from this study suggest that dietary zinc supplementation may be associated with decreased risk of EHM. Several factors were associated with increased risk of EHM. Additional investigations of factors associated with risk of EHM are warranted to evaluate the importance of these factors in this complex disease of horses.
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