Equine Respiratory Update
Newsletter Archive

Equine Respiratory Update Current and Past Issues

To date, the study has revealed numerous insights with regard to disease trends and epidemiology, and has also delivered a new highly relevant Clade 1 influenza vaccine strain, Florida ’13.1

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Fall into Action with Biosurveillance

Fall 2025: Fall into Action with Biosurveillance

Flu Season Prep: New Disease Outbreak Map, Symposium Highlights and Advanced Disease Monitoring Techniques

Fall 2024: Flu season is right around the corner. While the virus can infect a horse anytime of year, Biosurveillance Program data continues to support a concentrated season of December to May

Equine Rhinitis B Virus Detected with Increasing Frequency

Spring 2024: Equine rhinitis B virus (ERBV) is a lesserknown respiratory pathogen in equine populations belonging to the genus Erbovirus within the family Picornaviridae

New Voluntary Surveillance Data Published on Equine Influenza Virus

Fall 2023: Findings document disease trends and emphasize importance of pathogen identification in early management of outbreaks

Newly Published Data on Epidemiology of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi

Spring 2023: In the midst of increasing case numbers, researchers with the Biosurveillance Program published new findings in January 2023

Research Published from 13 Years of the Equine Respiratory Biosurveillance Program

Fall/Winter 2022: Equine influenza and equine herpesvirus type 4 are the two most prevalent viruses

A Case Study (or two) on Strangles

Spring 2022: Streptococcus equi subs. equi – better known as strangles – is one of the most challenging upper respiratory diseases of the horse.

Biosurveillance Program Reaches Sample Milestone

Fall 2021: In late April, a new milestone was reached for the Equine Respiratory Biosurveillance Program when sample number 10,000 arrived at the UC Davis Equine Infectious Disease Research Laboratory

Discerning Differences Between EHV-1 and EHV-4

Spring 2021: Spotlight on equine herpesvirus and cumulative study data for the top infectious upper respiratory diseases in the horse.

Looking Back to What’s Ahead

Fall 2020: There is not a crystal ball in veterinary medicine (or life) but we have amassed 12 years’ worth of trending data to reflect upon and drive insights into seasonal infectious upper respiratory disease incidence

Respiratory Case Study: Influenza in a Training Barn Without Testing, How Do You Know?

Spring 2020: The most powerful aspect of the Equine Respiratory Biosurveillance Program is the data—the diagnostic results delivered within 24 hours to provide crucial evidence-based guidance in dealing with a sick horse infected with an upper-respiratory disease agent

From Outbreak to Vaccine: A True Tale of Equine Influenza Surveillance

Fall 2019: A silver lining in an equine influenza outbreak? Thanks to real world surveillance we can learn from an outbreak by isolating and sequencing the strain causing it to potentially improve vaccine protection.

Equine Respiratory Biosurveillance Program: 10 Years Later

Spring 2019: Infectious respiratory disease outbreaks have played an often too visible role in the horse industry and the costs have been staggering.

Putting a Chokehold on Strangles

Fall 2018: Biosurveillance Program sheds light on Streptococcus equi subs. equi (better known as strangles), prevalence factors.

How the Biosurveillance Program Delivered the Industry’s Most Current Influenza Vaccine Protection

Spring 2018: In February 2013, an outbreak of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1) and equine influenza virus (EIV) impacted a large number of well-vaccinated horses. How the Florida ’13 vaccine strain story began.

Getting to Know the “Other” Herpesviruses

Fall 2017: What we know about the gamma herpesviruses, equine herpesviruses types 2 and 5 (EHV-2, EHV-5). There is some evidence suggesting that EHV-2 and EHV-5 may be clinically important as respiratory and ocular pathogens in some situations.

Spotlight on Equine Herpesvirus-4

Spring 2017: Study confirms equine herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4) is a predominant virus associated with upper airway infection.

Focus on Diagnostics: The Important Role You Play in Monitoring Disease Trends

Summer 2016: Disease trends from January to June 2016. Respiratory Surveillance questionnaire. The importance of collecting accurate samples.

Disease Trends, Case Demographics Underscore Importance of Good Biosecurity

Spring 2016: Surprising trends take shape in eighth year of the Respiratory Biosurveillance Program. Why sound biosecurity measures are more important than ever.

Tracking an Uptick in Equine Influenza

Fall 2015: The most recent six months of Biosurveillance data reveal equine influenza virus (EIV) as the most common pathogen. Interesting demographic factors observed among EIV positive cases.

References

  1. Merck Animal Health and University of California, Davis (Nicola Pusteria). Infectious Upper Respiratory Disease Surveillance Program. Ongoing research 2008-present.

Current and past issues of the Merck Animal Health Equine Respiratory Biosurveillance Newsletter.

The Merck Animal Health Equine Respiratory Update is a biannual newsletter that keeps the equine industry up to date on the latest trends and historical information from the Equine Biosurveillance Program. The newsletter also features technical advice, case management advice, and support from the Merck Equine Veterinary Professional Services team and UC Davis.