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Three West Virginia mares are under quarantine for Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) after trace-backs indicated that they might have been exposed to a CEM-positive Wisconsin stallion, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.

More than 300 horses in 40 states are undergoing testing for CEM, a bacterial disease that can cause temporary infertility and spontaneous abortions in mares. Diagnosis can be difficult, as infected animals may remain asymptomatic for some time. The disease is very contagious and spreads through breeding and improper disinfecting of equipment.

Although CEM does not affect humans and is unlikely to be fatal in horses, the equine industry is fearful of the economic losses it might cause through reproductive inefficiency.

For more information, or to report suspicion of any infectious animal disease, contact the West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) Animal Health Division at 304-558-2214.

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.

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