The herpes virus, or elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), is attributed to over half the deaths of young elephants in captivity in zoos in the US and Europe with no known magnitude of the viral impact in wild Asian elephants.

 

Elephants throughout Asia are at risk of highly pathogenic diseases such as herpes virus. This virus is widespread throughout the world in Asian elephants, and predominantly affects juveniles aged 1-8 years old. It is highly fatal to these elephants therefore; timely and aggressive preventive measures are needed in order for them to have a chance of survival. There is little known about the route of infection and prevalence of disease, especially in the elephants living in range countries.