The Biosecurity Policy defines operational procedures and sets preventative measures to avoid the transmission of infectious diseases. Printable handouts addressing biosecurity procedures for equine and poultry are available to equip residents to substantially reduce their risk of spreading disease with their own livestock at home, on a farm, or at a stable.

The herpes virus is a large family of viruses. Fortunately, this virus is not zoonotic and is species-specific, meaning that humans do not catch equine herpes virus from horses.

Clinical Signs of Possible Contagious Disease

The incubation period for the virus depends on the subtype affected horse, but generally after 4 to 10 days the following symptoms may be seen:

• Hind Limb Weakness
• Cough
• Incoordination
• Diminished Tail Tone
• Monitor for over 101.5 degrees
• Nasal Discharge

A horse identified with an infectious disease should be isolated from other horses to prevent the spread of infection. Any fever above 101.5 including neurological signs must be reported to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) at 909-947-4462. For more information visit the CDFA Site.

Spread of Disease

Equine herpes virus is highly contagious and spreads from horse to horse through the following ways:

• Direct horse to horse contact
• Horse to humane contact
• Communal water sources
• Sharing of infected equipment
• Other animals or insects that were in direct contact with affected horse

Quarantine Authority

The CDFA has the right to quarantine pursuant to California Food and Agricultural Code 9562. (3) The state veterinarian’s quarantine powers set forth in this section expressly include the power to order movement, segregation, isolation or destruction of animals or food products, as well as the power to hold animals or food products in place.

Protection

There are two types of vaccines available for use in the horse for protection against the disease, Vaccination may reduce the severity and duration of the disease, but it will not totally prevent the disease. Your equine veterinarian should be consulted regarding the most appropriate use of vaccination in your particular circumstance. Vaccination must go hand-in hand with the use of good bio-security practices at your home, barn or stable.

West Nile is a virus most commonly spread to people by mosquito bites. In North America, cases of West Nile virus (WNV) occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. WNV cases have been reported in all of the continental United States. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV. Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not have symptoms. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness. You can reduce your risk of WNV by using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.

West Nile Virus is not spread:

• Through coughing, sneezing, or touching
• By touching live animals
• From handling live or dead infected birds. Avoid bare-handed contact when handling any dead animal. If you are disposing of a bird, use gloves or double plastic bags to place the carcass in a garbage can.

If you think a family member might have West Nile virus disease, talk with your health care provider

For more information visit the Northwest Mosquito Vector Control website.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) along with poultry owners continue to work together to contain and eradicate the outbreak of Virulent Newcastle Disease (VND) first diagnosed in California on May 18, 2018. Since May 18th the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed 57 cases of Virulent Newcastle disease in backyard birds in California, 52 in San Bernardino County, 4 in Riverside County, and 1 in Los Angeles County. For more information on the outbreak, please visit this link. The City of Norco Animal Control Services recommends that all residents limit bird movement and interaction. Do not accept new birds at this time and do not take birds off your property while the quarantine is in effect. This the best way to prohibit the Virulent Newcastle Disease from spreading into Norco. VND has not been found in commercial poultry in the United States since 2003.

All bird owners should report sick birds or unusual bird deaths through California’s Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-2473. Bio security remains the key step to prevent the spread of this disease. A bio security Poultry handout can be downloaded from this web site and further information can be found on the CDFA’s web site.

A letter published by the CDFA on July 2, 2019 states there have been no new positive detections of VND since June 4, 2019. To read the letter, please visit the CDFA website by clicking here.