Equine Herpesvirus Type 1—better known as EHV-1—is rapidly becoming one of the most urgent infectious disease threats in the equine world. With new outbreaks emerging across the United States in 2025, including recent alerts from multiple state departments of agriculture, the spread of this virus is no longer a concern just for veterinarians, trainers, and barn managers. It is now directly relevant to the cleaning industry, which plays a critical role in prevention, containment, and response.
In this in-depth expert discussion, Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, Senior Director at ISSA, and Keri Lestage, with Good Salt Life, break down exactly what EHV-1 is, how it spreads, and why cleaning and disinfection are essential parts of controlling this highly contagious virus in horses.
EHV-1 is capable of causing severe respiratory disease, late-term abortions, neurological damage, and in many cases, death. With more than 7 million horses in the U.S. and a total economic impact exceeding $177 billion, the stakes for preventing outbreaks are high—especially for the communities, facilities, and industries that interact with horses daily.
Dr. Macgregor-Skinner explains why the cleaning industry must pay attention. While EHV-1 does not make people sick, people can easily spread it through contaminated hands, boots, clothing, tools, grooming equipment, stall hardware, water buckets, feed troughs, and even vehicles. This makes cleaning and disinfecting not just a hygiene issue, but one of the primary pillars of biosecurity.
Prevention and response both rely on four key elements, and cleaning and disinfection form a core pillar in both categories. In short: cleaning is not optional—it is mission-critical.
If you have questions or need guidance, use this contact information:
Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner: [email protected]
Keri Lestage: [email protected]
