Virus kills another horse at farm in Bartlett

Another horse at Bartlett's Sunset Hill Farm has died and subsequently tested positive for the strain of equine herpes virus that affected eight horses last month, two of which were euthanized.

A co-owner of the farm, Georgette Litchfield, said the horse "just went down" about a week-and-a-half ago. The Illinois Department of Agriculture received notification that the horse, who was euthanized, had tested positive for the virus Tuesday.

A state-issued 21-day quarantine on the farm would have been lifted this week if no additional horses tested positive, but the quarantine now extends into March.

Initial news of the virus spread through the suburban equine community Jan. 29, and several farms issued voluntary quarantines in hopes of keeping the virus from spreading. So far, no cases have been reported at other farms.

EHV-1 can be transmitted through the air, contaminating equipment, clothing and hands, which can then be spread to horses.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture will lift the quarantine only after all signs of the disease have been absent for 21 days, department spokeswoman Rebecca Clark said. Illinois does not require veterinarians and farms to report the virus, but once it is reported, the state controls the issuing and lifting of quarantines.

Incubation for EHV-1 is typically 10 days, and typically signs of the virus are seen within three days.

In severe cases of the virus, horses are unable to stand.

The private farm, located at 8N190 Naperville Road, houses 35 horses.