Horses in Barn 26 at Turfway Park will be re-tested this evening for evidence of equine herpesvirus to determine if any other horses are positive for the virus, said Rusty Ford of the Kentucky State Veterinarian’s office. Results are expected this weekend.

One horse in that barn was euthanatized due to neurologic signs of equine herpesvirus, and another horse in that barn showed neurologic signs (not typical of herpesvirus), but is recovering. That horse was not confirmed as having herpesvirus, but that virus hasn’t been completely ruled out, either.

Clinical signs suggesting the neurologic form of equine herpesvirus caused state officials to quarantine Barn 26 last Wednesday (Dec. 21). The horses were tested last week using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing that detects actual DNA of the virus. Of the 44 horses tested, 11 (25%) showed positive PCR, but no clinical signs of disease.

Ford said that result indicates that the virus did spread in the barn, but that the immune systems of those horses were able to fight off the disease. No additional horses have shown clinical signs, although a few have run fevers of undetermined origin (not unusual in a training barn with young horses, noted Ford)