The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has confirmed the first case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in a horse this year.

The horse, a 2-year-old Arabian male from Suffolk, had been vaccinated for EEE and West Nile virus (WNV) more than a year ago but was not revaccinated this year.

Last year Virginia had no reported cases of EEE in horses or other livestock.

A viral disease, EEE affects the central nervous system and is transmitted to horses by infected mosquitoes. Clinical signs of EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures