Equine herpesvirus in Alberta

Dec 02, 2025

Equine herpesvirus-1 is responsible for the clinical disease known as Equine Herpesvirus Myeloencephalopathy (EHM).

In 2023 the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian (OCPV) was notified of four cases of EHM in Alberta and in 2024, there was one notification. The OCPV has recently been made aware of one case in 2025.

The OCPV has also been made aware that several cases are being detected in the U.S. As of November 21, fifteen cases had been reported in the U.S. Some events or shows are being cancelled to minimize risk of horses becoming exposed and to help reduce the spread while others are planning to proceed. Those planning to attend should reach out to organizers to check on event status, risk and biosecurity measures in place.

Resources for veterinarians and horse owners:

Government of Alberta: Equine herpesvirus-1
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM) fact sheet
Texas Animal Health Commission: Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy fact sheet

Video: Porcine Gut Models in Nutrition Research - Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen, postdoc researcher at Aarhus University, discusses how porcine intestinal cell lines and organoids can help study the impact of nutrition on gut health. He explains how in vivo piglet trials identify diet-driven shifts in microbiota and metabolites, while in vitro models allow researchers to test specific metabolites, barrier function, immune markers, and future organ-on-chip systems before moving back to animal studies. Listen now on all major platforms!

"In vitro models can reduce early animal use by helping researchers screen nutritional candidates before moving back to in vivo trials."

Meet the guest: Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen / li-hsuan-chen-9a95a7279 is a postdoc researcher at Aarhus University in Denmark. Research focuses on porcine gut health, host-microbe interactions, cell lines, and organoids, with PhD work at Aarhus University studying how dietary protein and amino acid levels shape gut microbiota, microbial metabolites, and intestinal epithelial responses. Learn more from Dr. Li-Hsuan Chen on The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, available on all major platforms.