A study led by researchers at Colorado State University (CSU) found that West Nile virus (WNV) cost equine owners in Colorado and Nebraska more than $1.25 million in 2002, and prevention costs for WNV vaccination likely topped another $2.75 million for the equine industry in those states last year. In 2002, Colorado reported 378 confirmed cases of WNV in equids, and Nebraska reported 1,100.

The study estimated that the total cost attributed to death or euthanasia of equine WNV cases was $600,660, the estimated revenue lost by owners because of lost use associated with WNV was $163,659, and the estimated cost attributed to the treatment of equine WNV cases in the two states was $490,844. For more study figures, see the table below.

“To date, no other comprehensive national or regional estimates of WNV’s economic impact on the equine industry have been published,” said Josie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, professor of clinical sciences at CSU and principal investigator of the project. “Determining the economic impact of the disease is important for prioritizing current and future research as well as management and control efforts.”

The study, published by co-authors from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, was a cooperative effort among researchers from CSU, the USDA, the Colorado and Nebraska state veterinarians, and Pennsylvania’s and Nebraska’s veterinary schools