The Chatham County, Georgia, Mosquito Control has confirmed that Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) has been detected in mosquito populations in the western part of the country.

As such, county officials are urging horse and large animal owners to vaccinate their animals against the virus and to clean out watering sources such as buckets and troughs every three to four days to prevent mosquitoes from breeding there.

No horse or human cases have yet been reported in Georgia this year.

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. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring two to three days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care; fatality rates reach 75-80% among horses. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems