# does anybody have any info on ORF virus in horses?



## EmmaJThompson (11 August 2011)

Unfortunately my 4yo has been diagnosed with this (usually in sheep, rare in horses) by an experienced vet from a good practice. I know nothing of the sort and any information would be greatly appreciated. The horse has been seperated and waTer troughs disinfected.


----------



## horsies4coursies (11 August 2011)

never heard about it occurring in horses and don't know if the vet mentioned this but since it is zoonotic (can infect many species inc man) i would be scrupulous about your own hygiene when working around the affected horse.  I have been working on lambing yards for many years - i got this my 2nd year lambing and it was incredibly painful painful eruptions on hands not nice.


----------



## EmmaJThompson (11 August 2011)

Yes he mentioned this, he said its very rare in horses but he has seen it a few times before. I have looked online but theres very little about this in horses only a few online threads nothing very official. Rather baffled... Thanks anyway


----------



## horsies4coursies (11 August 2011)

has he injected the horse with any antibiotics? whilst it won't cure the parapox part of the virus it should help with any 2ndary bacterial infections which can slow healing - has the horse been near sheep - grazing or stabled near them? (sorry just curious)


----------



## EmmaJThompson (11 August 2011)

No he did not, her wounds on her lips seem to be starting to heal he just said there isnt much he can do but to let it run its course. No she is no where near any sheep but a few new horses have came on to the yard and I am unsure if they have any symptoms or have carried it from previous yards.


----------



## horsies4coursies (11 August 2011)

hope she recovers quickly and let us know how she gets on


----------



## EmmaJThompson (11 August 2011)

Thank you


----------



## Mike007 (11 August 2011)

I read your other post regarding this. As I said,I saw a horse with exactly this,only a couple of weeks ago. Its NOT Orf.These lesions are symptomatic of several possible causes ,By far the most unlikely is Orf. Worm for bots as a precaution .They will heal up quickly.


----------



## foxy1 (12 August 2011)

Over the years I have seen several horses with the lesions you pictured on your other thread. They have been caused by bot fly larvae emerging. It's not orf.


----------



## EmmaJThompson (12 August 2011)

No it is not boys they are non existant where I am only seen a very select few on one very hot summer and we have had a very poor summer. No eggs no sign of any flys.


----------



## amandap (12 August 2011)

May I ask how the Vet diagnosed Orf? Swabs, blood tests? I think this is really interesting and perhaps something we should all be more aware of. 

Hope your horse heals soon.

Mta. Gloves should be worn and disposed of carefully after each use.


----------



## shazza283 (12 August 2011)

It's not bots or orf - Habronemiasis or summer sores

http://members2.boardhost.com/baen/msg/archive/1235418829.html
http://horsehints.org/SummerSores.htm

The pics on here should look very familiar!! or google image habronemiasis - you'll find quite a few similar looking lesions. 

In the UK we usually get away with worming (ivermectin)  fly control and time to allow them to heal

Orf looks completely different - you don't get those perfect circles for starters and they are usually crusty too.

Bots don't cause that type of reaction and shouldn't be treated until the bots are in the stomach - usually around november time.

Please direct your vet to the pics or text him it's habronema and he can look it up - maybe he's never seen these???


----------



## star (9 September 2011)

sorry, but this is not orf or bot flies or habronema (which is so ridiculously rare in the UK it's almost unheard of - the above are both American websites).  these are local irritations caused usually by an irritant plant such as buttercups or others found in hedgerows etc.  they heal up by themselves if left alone.  my old horse gets them every summer.


----------



## alsiola (10 September 2011)

I think that it's clear there are many strong opinions.  I would describe the lesions from the photo in the other thread as multifocal areas of ulceration with mild circumferential swelling, and a rim of white material consistent with re-epithelilialisation.  I think we have to add, of unknown origin, to this as well.

Differential diagnoses would include
1) Local irritation from plant or chemical
2) Parasitic e.g. bot fly larvae are definitely on the list, habronema possible but extremely rare
3) Auto-immune e.g. pemphigus foliaceus, systemic lupus, purpura haemorrhagica
4) Neoplastic e.g. sarcoid
(5) Infectious e.g. orf - this is in brackets because of its exceptional rarity in the horse)

I think from the history and apparent ongoing resolution of the lesions local irritation or parasitic causes are most likely, and no further investigation is warranted at this point.  All conditions in these groups are likely to be self-limiting so I would give no treatment.

There is no possible way one can examine these lesions and definitively say it is orf.  This is an extraordinary diagnosis, and extraordinary diagnoses require extraordinary proof.  In sheep orf can be confirmed by identification of the virus (parapox virus I think) - this would be the minimum proof required for me to consider it in a horse.


----------



## amandap (11 September 2011)

alsiola said:



			I think that it's clear there are many strong opinions.  I would describe the lesions from the photo in the other thread as multifocal areas of ulceration with mild circumferential swelling, and a rim of white material consistent with re-epithelilialisation.  I think we have to add, of unknown origin, to this as well.

Differential diagnoses would include
1) Local irritation from plant or chemical
2) Parasitic e.g. bot fly larvae are definitely on the list, habronema possible but extremely rare
3) Auto-immune e.g. pemphigus foliaceus, systemic lupus, purpura haemorrhagica
4) Neoplastic e.g. sarcoid
(5) Infectious e.g. orf - this is in brackets because of its exceptional rarity in the horse)

I think from the history and apparent ongoing resolution of the lesions local irritation or parasitic causes are most likely, and no further investigation is warranted at this point.  All conditions in these groups are likely to be self-limiting so I would give no treatment.

There is no possible way one can examine these lesions and definitively say it is orf.  This is an extraordinary diagnosis, and extraordinary diagnoses require extraordinary proof.  In sheep orf can be confirmed by identification of the virus (parapox virus I think) - this would be the minimum proof required for me to consider it in a horse.
		
Click to expand...

Thank you for this great post.


----------

