Herpesvirus epidemic among horses in France: A threat to all of Europe

The Veterinary Department of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) has reported that outbreaks and deaths among horses have occurred since November in three different regions of France. Outbreaks of equine herpesvirus type 1 have been identified in Île-de-France, Loire-Atlantique and Orne. Outbreaks in three regions The deaths were recorded starting with the national competition held in Le Mans, France, from 1 to 3 November 2024. Then there were the international FEI from 8 to 11 November in the same place. And since 20 November, illnesses and deaths of horses have been confirmed in three different regions. The latest case occurred in the department of the Marne Valley, in the Île-de-France region. As reported by the French portal La France Agricole, as of December 9, 2024, the Equine Pathology Epidemiological Surveillance Network (Respe) had identified 10 outbreaks of herpesvirus type 1 (HV1): three in Essonne, two in Hauts-de-Seine, one in Yvelines, one in Eure-et-Loir, ...