As the livestock communities in Colorado — as well as those in Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming and Nebraska — continue to manage a significant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) outbreak, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) reported that misinformation about the virus was being shared on social media channels and traditional media outlets.

According to CDA, the initial source of the inaccurate reporting, which compared VSV to a “rabies-like” virus, was an Associated Press article that was reposted by a number of media outlets. The article has since been corrected, CDA said.

"It is highly misleading to say that vesicular stomatitis virus is a rabies-like virus. Both viruses belong to the same family -- Rhabdoviridae -- but that classification is based on viral structure alone,” CDA epidemiology traceability veterinarian Maggie Baldwin said. “The two diseases have no similarities in transmission, clinical signs or outcome.”

VSV is a virus from the genus Vesiculovirus. VSV is a viral disease that causes blisters and ulcers on the mouth, feet, ears and udders of cattle, horses and swine and occasionally mules, donkeys, sheep, goats, llamas and alpacas, CDA explained.

The rabies virus is from the genus Lyssavirus. Rabies is a viral disease that affects the central nervous system of mammals and has an extremely high case fatality rate.

VSV is not considered a highly contagious virus, because it is spread primarily through insect vectors and rarely through saliva or other contact.

CDA noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Services website maintains current situation updates for all confirmed cases in the U.S.

According to USDA, as of Aug. 15, the cumulative total number of affected premises since the 2019 outbreak began stands at 783 sites, and all but three of those house only equines.