Two horses in Dale County, Alabama have been confirmed as positive for West Nile virus (WNV) infection. A positive horse has also been confirmed in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. These are the first equine cases of clinical WNV infection ever detected in Alabama and the first in Massachusetts in 2001; one equine case of WNV infection was detected in Massachusetts last year.

The horses in southeast Alabama are stablemates that became ill in late August and are recovering. The horse in southeast Massachusetts is a 2-year-old gelding that is recovering from a neurologic illness which began on Sept. 1.

WNV infection was confirmed in all 3 horses at the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL)