(Editor’s Note: This story is developing and will be updated as information becomes available)

A month before the All-American Quarter Horse Congress is scheduled to open, the Ohio Department of Agriculture has announced that it is prohibiting the import of horses from counties within states – including Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming – with confirmed and suspected cases of Vesicular Stomatitis (VSV).

A press released this morning, The Ohio Department of Agriculture this morning reads as follows:

In an effort to protect horses and other livestock in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is not allowing the import of horses from counties within states with confirmed and suspected cases of Vesicular Stomatitis (VSV). This restriction includes the All American Quarter Horse Congress, which is scheduled to begin in Columbus on Oct. 1.

“VSV has not been detected in Ohio and we are taking every precaution possible to keep it that way,”  said ODA State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey.  “With the All American Quarter Horse Congress coming, we thought it was important to restrict further movement to prevent the disease’s potential spread.”

VSV is a viral disease that primarily affects horses, but can also infect cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. The disease causes blister-like lesions, which burst and leave open wounds. It is extremely painful to animals and can result in the inability to eat and drink and even lameness. 

VSV is highly contagious, with biting insects being the most common method of transmission. Humans can also contract VSV by coming into contact with lesions, saliva, or nasal secretions from infected animals. In people, the disease causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle ache, headache, and nausea.

Currently, VSV has been detected in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming with confirmed or suspected cases in specific counties across those states. A current list of suspect and confirmed cases can be found in the 

The most recent list (as of Sept. 5 includes):

Colorado (3 new confirmed positive, 20 new suspect premises) 

• Adams County – 1 new suspect premises
• Delta County – 3 new suspect premises
• Dolores County (New Infected County) – 1 confirmed positive premises
• Douglas County – 1 new suspect premises
• Jefferson County – 1 new confirmed positive, 5 new suspect premises
• La Plata County – 1 new suspect premises
• Mesa County – 2 new suspect premises
• Montezuma County – 1 new suspect premises
• Morgan County – 2 new suspect premises
• Pueblo County – 1 new suspect premises
• San Miguel County – 1 new suspect premises
• Weld County – 1 new confirmed positive, 2 new suspect premises
• Since the last situation report, 98 previously VSV-infected or suspect premises have been released from quarantine.

Nebraska (1 new confirmed positive premises)
• Morrill County (New Infected County) – 1 confirmed positive premises
• Since the last situation report, 3 previously VSV-infected premises were released from quarantine. 

New Mexico 

• Since the last situation report, 2 previously VSV-infected or suspect premises were released from quarantine. 

Texas (1 new confirmed positive, 1 new suspect premises)
• Hays County – 1 new suspect premises
• Hill County (New Infected County) – 1 confirmed positive premises
• Since the last situation report, 18 previously VSV-infected or suspect premises have been released from quarantine.

Utah 

• Since the last situation report, 6 previously VSV-infected or suspect premises have been released from quarantine.

Wyoming (6 new confirmed positive, 10 new suspect premises) 

• Albany County – 2 new confirmed positive premises
• Big Horn County (New Infected County) – 1 confirmed positive premises • Carbon County – 1 new confirmed positive premises
• Goshen County – 1 new suspect premises
• Hot Springs County – 1 new confirmed positive, 1 new suspect premises
• Park County (New Infected County) – 1 new confirmed positive, 6 new suspect premises
• Platte County -2 new suspect premises
• Since the last situation report, 6 previously VSV-infected or suspect premises were released from quarantine. 

Classification of Cases 

Premises that have laboratory diagnostic 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 suspect premises. 

Quarantines 

Confirmed positive and suspect premises are quarantined for at least 14 days from the onset of lesions in the last affected animal on the premises. 

For more information on the disease, visit the USDA’s VSV resource page.

Quarter Horse Congress officials have declined comment other than to refer to it’s facebook page where the press release is published.