A total of seven birds and one horse have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in Kentucky in 2002, according to Rusty Ford of the Kentucky State Veterinarian’s office. The one horse, which was euthanized, was from Fayette County. Two birds were found in Jefferson and Metcalfe Counties, and one each was found in Laurel, Oldham, and Woodford Counties. Last year, eight horses in Kentucky tested positive for WNV.

By noon on July 10, all previous tests on suspect horses had been resolved as negative for WNV. However, two new pending cases are being investigated. Two horses in Central Kentucky have shown suspect neurologic signs. All testing is done at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. Tests on samples from these two horses should be completed by about July 17.

NVSL has tested 91 equine samples for WNV from Kentucky this year, according to Ford. Of those, 52 were for export reasons, 26 were for diagnostics, and 13 did not have a reason listed for the testing request.
Don Notter, DVM, the Kentucky state veterinarian, has approved 77,300 doses of WNV vaccine to be shipped to Kentucky veterinarians this year.

For more information on the positive Kentucky horse, go to https://thehorse.com/ViewArticle