Herpes Virus

Gary Calton believes his tiny Baltimore biotechnology venture, AuRx Inc., has the long-sought-after vaccine for herpes, the viral disease that is infecting Americans at an accelerating pace. If he's wrong, his company could become another of the many that have tried and failed in the quest.But Calton is so bullish on his privately held company's vaccine that he has sunk more than $600,000 of his own money into the project."No one has seen a vaccine that does what ours can do," said Calton.

The Maryland Zoo's 4-year-old elephant Samson's serious illness with herpes is one example of how zoo breeding programs put elephants at risk ("Young elephant recovering from virus," March 14). This frightening disease causes massive internal hemorrhaging, typically affects elephants under 10 years of age, and has an 85 percent mortality rate. It's responsible for more than half of all juvenile elephant deaths in North American facilities. Death from the herpes virus usually occurs within seven days after an acute onset of symptoms, which include lethargy, swelling of the head and limbs, and a blue discoloration of the tongue.

WASHINGTON -- Scientists have solved the mystery of what killed at least nine zoo elephants across North American in recent years, a discovery that could help protect captive herds of an animal that is threatened in the wild.In a triumph of medical detective work, scientists from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the National Zoo identified the killer as a herpes virus that preys primarily upon young Asian elephants raised in captivity.The diagnosis has also led to a cure: an anti-viral drug that is ordinarily used to combat herpes infections in humans.

A deadly virus has stricken Samson, the only elephant born at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in its 137-year history, but zoologists are hopeful that he will recover because the strain is thought to be less serious in his species. Samson also has survived longer than others with the virus. Caretakers first noticed the soon-to-be-5-year-old male looking lethargic Feb. 26, and feared it was a sign of what is known as elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus. They began treating him for the disease, which can kill within days, and tests confirmed the virus.

Trainer Charles Frock sat in his living room, surrounded by mementos of his career - including a picture of himself with Rod Stewart and Patrick Swayze riding camels together in Dubai. On this day, his broken leg, held together by a cast, eight screws and two plates, was propped up in front of him, and he sat wondering how all this came to be. "One day you're training, working to improve the caliber of horses you have in your stable, and the next day one is dead from herpes and you can't race at all," he said from his Westminster home.

Tests on a horse that showed signs of the same equine herpes virus that killed six horses and made 18 others ill two years ago in Maryland have to be redone. The blood test was negative, and the nasal swab was inconclusive. Yesterday's news from the Maryland Department of Agriculture was both good and bad for the horse's trainer, Rob Bailes, who has 18 other horses in his barn that continue to be restricted. "I would have been happy with two negatives," Bailes said. "But they tell me it is better to have the soft positive in the nasal test than the blood test."

The equine herpes virus at Pimlico Race Course has apparently spread and caused a second horse to be euthanized in an 11-day span. Confirmation of what struck Kalli Calling, a 3-year-old owned by Dee Purdy and trained by her husband, Simon, yesterday will not come until test results are available next week. The Maryland Department of Agriculture has responded by extending the hold order on Barn 5, where the outbreak began, to Barn 6, where Kalli Calling was put down. A hold order means the animals in those barns can train, but not at the same time as the other horses stabled at Pimlico, and cannot leave the track.

One day after a horse at Laurel Park became the latest thoroughbred to test positive for the equine herpes virus that has become a crisis in Maryland, another horse - this one at the Bowie Training Center - is suspected of having the virus. As soon as Bowie trainer Chris Grove noticed one of his horses was having neurological problems, he called the Laurel Park stewards yesterday morning to cancel his entries. Grove also spoke to Maryland Racing Commission veterinarian David Zipf because he feared the horse might have contracted the virus that has so far caused the deaths of four horses and possibly a fifth.

Thousands of horse lovers packed the annual Maryland Horse World Exposition in Timonium yesterday, where they admired well-bred Appaloosas and shopped for saddles - and talked about preventing the spread of a virus that has sickened horses at Pimlico Race Course. The equine herpes virus 1 disease that is believed to have infected 11 horses at Pimlico - leading the Maryland Jockey Club to place a quarantine on the track - was not seen as a threat to the more than 100 animals being shown at the Maryland State Fairgrounds.

The Maryland Zoo's 4-year-old elephant Samson's serious illness with herpes is one example of how zoo breeding programs put elephants at risk ("Young elephant recovering from virus," March 14). This frightening disease causes massive internal hemorrhaging, typically affects elephants under 10 years of age, and has an 85 percent mortality rate. It's responsible for more than half of all juvenile elephant deaths in North American facilities. Death from the herpes virus usually occurs within seven days after an acute onset of symptoms, which include lethargy, swelling of the head and limbs, and a blue discoloration of the tongue.

Tests on a horse that showed signs of the same equine herpes virus that killed six horses and made 18 others ill two years ago in Maryland have to be redone. The blood test was negative, and the nasal swab was inconclusive. Yesterday's news from the Maryland Department of Agriculture was both good and bad for the horse's trainer, Rob Bailes, who has 18 other horses in his barn that continue to be restricted. "I would have been happy with two negatives," Bailes said. "But they tell me it is better to have the soft positive in the nasal test than the blood test."

Trainer Rob Bailes said yesterday that he has had to scratch seven horses from races this week because it was one of his horses who is being tested for the equine herpes virus. The trainer's livelihood is wrapped up in the 19 horses in his Bowie Training Center barn that are not allowed to race or train while waiting for the test results that are due back no later than today. Bailes, 43, said this is his first experience with a horse showing symptoms of the disease that causes respiratory infections that can lead to neurological problems and death.

The horses at a Bowie Training Center barn are under restrictions after one of them showed signs yesterday morning of the same equine herpes virus that crippled Maryland racing two years ago. The horse in question, who was not named and had been stabled in Barn 7, was tested and moved into an empty barn. Barn 7 can hold 20 horses, but it's unclear how many are currently stabled there. Department of Agriculture orders prevent the horses from racing or training, and allow them to walk only their own shedrow.

Trainer Rodney Jenkins breathed a sigh of relief yesterday evening, and it seemed everyone else involved in Maryland horse racing did, too. Jenkins, who trains the horses stabled in Barn 9 at Laurel Park, learned the Maryland Department of Agriculture's hold order on his barn will be lifted this morning. The decision was made by state veterinarian Guy Hohenhaus when Jenkins agreed to move two horses who did not clear the latest testing process for the equine herpes virus to a remote, isolated barn at the Bowie Training Center.

Pimlico Race Course took another step toward complete normal operations yesterday as it continues to recover from the effects of an outbreak of equine herpes virus. The Maryland Department of Agriculture lifted the general hold order on Barn A at Pimlico after 21 of the 25 horses in the barn tested negative for the virus, according to the Maryland Jockey Club. Four horses from the barn that did not clear the testing process are being isolated in a detention barn, Barn 8, along with two others; those two were from Barn 6 and failed to clear last week.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture announced today that a horse euthanized last week on a private Kent County farm was infected with the equine herpes virus (EHV-1). One horse on the farm which was exhibiting neurologic signs appears to be improving and moving toward an anticipated full recovery. One additional horse, which had a fever, is being treated. Initial PCR tests on all clinically affected horses were positive for EHV-1. The farm received a horse from Pimlico Race Course on Jan. 10 before track officials closed movement to and from the facility.

Pimlico Race Course took another step toward complete normal operations yesterday as it continues to recover from the effects of an outbreak of equine herpes virus. The Maryland Department of Agriculture lifted the general hold order on Barn A at Pimlico after 21 of the 25 horses in the barn tested negative for the virus, according to the Maryland Jockey Club. Four horses from the barn that did not clear the testing process are being isolated in a detention barn, Barn 8, along with two others; those two were from Barn 6 and failed to clear last week.

Trainer Rob Bailes said yesterday that he has had to scratch seven horses from races this week because it was one of his horses who is being tested for the equine herpes virus. The trainer's livelihood is wrapped up in the 19 horses in his Bowie Training Center barn that are not allowed to race or train while waiting for the test results that are due back no later than today. Bailes, 43, said this is his first experience with a horse showing symptoms of the disease that causes respiratory infections that can lead to neurological problems and death.

One day after a horse at Laurel Park became the latest thoroughbred to test positive for the equine herpes virus that has become a crisis in Maryland, another horse - this one at the Bowie Training Center - is suspected of having the virus. As soon as Bowie trainer Chris Grove noticed one of his horses was having neurological problems, he called the Laurel Park stewards yesterday morning to cancel his entries. Grove also spoke to Maryland Racing Commission veterinarian David Zipf because he feared the horse might have contracted the virus that has so far caused the deaths of four horses and possibly a fifth.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture confirmed today that Hey Ralphy, a filly trained by Rodney Jenkins at Laurel Park, was infected by the equine herpes virus (EHV-1). The 3-year-old was euthanized Thursday with a suspected pelvic injury. A hold order has been placed on Barn 9 at the Central Maryland track. Jenkins has elected not to train any of his horses until the hold order ends. "We are working cooperatively with all involved parties using the most up-to-date science and respected practices, and going beyond what has been done in previous EHV incidents around the country, to manage this situation," state veterinarian Dr. Guy Hohenhaus said.