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Michigan Horse Tests Positive for EEE

October 9, 2020
Posted by Diane E. Rice

The Livingston County horse had been vaccinated in March of this year.

Topics: Diseases and Conditions, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Horse Care, Horse Industry News, Neurologic Disease, Welfare and Industry

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The Livingston County horse had been vaccinated in March of this year. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) officials confirmed a Livingston County horse with Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) on Sept. 30. The 11-year-old Standardbred gelding, which had been vaccinated in March 2020, began showing clinical signs on Sept. 21. Signs consisted of fever, depression, ataxia (loss of muscle control), and head tilt.

EEE 101

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis is caused by the Eastern equine encephalitis virus, for which wild birds are a natural reservoir. Mosquitoes that feed on EEE-infected birds can transmit the virus to humans, horses, and other birds. Horses do not develop high enough levels of these viruses in their blood to be contagious to other animals or humans. Because of the high mortality rate in horses and humans, EEE is regarded as one of the most serious mosquito-borne diseases in the United States.

Tips for preventing mosquito-borne diseases include:

Avoid mosquito bites: Use insect repellent when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn.
Look for EPA-labeled products containing active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin (KBR3023), or oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane 3,8-diol).
Apply more repellent, according to label instructions, if mosquitoes start to bite.
Mosquito-proof homes: Fix or install window and door screens, and cover or eliminate empty containers with standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs.
Protect your horses: Veterinarians recommend commercially available licensed vaccines against EEE for all horses in the U.S. Horses should be vaccinated at least annually (recommendations vary in high-risk areas). It’s not too late this year to vaccinate your horses.
Use approved insect repellents to protect horses.
If possible, put horses in stables, stalls, or barns during the prime mosquito exposure hours of dusk and dawn.
Eliminate standing water, drain water troughs, and empty buckets at least weekly.
Stock water tanks with fish that consume mosquito larvae (contact your local mosquito control for assistance), or use mosquito “dunks” (solid “donuts” of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, which are nontoxic to horses) available at hardware stores

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Written by:

Diane E. Rice

Diane Rice earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism from the University of Wisconsin, then married her education with her lifelong passion for horses by working in editorial positions at Appaloosa Journal for 12 years. She has also served on the American Horse Publications’ board of directors. She now freelances in writing, editing, and proofreading. She lives in Middleton, Idaho, and spends her spare time gardening, reading, serving in her church, and spending time with her daughters, their families, and a myriad of her own and other people’s pets.