If you suspect a horse has Hendra virus infection or African horse sickness, what should you do?

• A. Submit blood samples to your diagnostic lab.
• B. Use your personal protective equipment, best biosecurity practices, and call your state animal health official (SAHO) and/or Assistant District Director (ADD) immediately.
• C. Call the FDA (food and drug administration) immediately and use precautions to protect yourself and the owner.
• D. Call around to your colleagues and see if they have any horses with similar clinical signs and/or if they agree with your differentials.

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is to act quickly with strong protections and formal reporting when a horse is suspected of carrying a highly contagious, zoonotic horse disease. The best action is to immediately put on appropriate personal protective equipment, follow strict biosecurity practices to prevent spread, and contact your state animal health official and/or Assistant District Director right away. This sequence ensures you and others are protected, that the case is handled by trained professionals, and that proper testing, containment, and movement controls are put in place through the appropriate regulatory channels.

Submitting blood samples on your own can bypass required safety and reporting procedures, potentially exposing people or other animals and complicating the response. Calling the FDA isn’t the right channel for veterinary disease outbreaks, and consulting colleagues without involving official authorities may delay critical actions.