Rapid EHV-1 outbreak characterization in horses

One of the most serious equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) outbreaks in Europe was reported following the International CES Valencia Spring Tour (Spain) in February 2021, which was attended by 752 horses. As 17 dead horses and neurological disorders were reported, quarantine regulations were implemented quickly in Spain and other European Union countries to prevent further spread (19 March 2021). Nevertheless, the aggressive EHV-1 strain escaped Spain with outbreaks in nine countries, including Belgium and France (FEI Updates 2021, https://inside.fei.org/fei/ehv-1/department-updates?year=). Here, we report five genomes from EHV-1 isolates from affected horses in Belgium and France with links to the Spanish Tour in 2021, as obtained through rapid long-read sequencing.